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Chapter Text

Pale yellow light seeps through the window and bathes the room with its ethereal glow.

A sweeping glance at the room would allow anyone to tell that every piece of furniture placed inside screams elegance and luxury.

In the middle lays the king-sized bed. With red quilts and white pillows, it invites anyone to go and have a rest. And indeed it is, for a figure could be seen sleeping below the covers.

However, unlike the tranquility of the surroundings, the figure had a scowl on their face. As if seeing something that greatly displeasures them.

A dream.

Yes, a dream. And as everything that has a start, has an end. Eventually, the figure opened their eyes.

"Found you."

Their eyes' emitted an eerie glow as the figure rose from the bed and whispered.

"Iruma."

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PROLOGUE END

Chapter Text

A soft breeze rustled through the gossamer curtains of Delvaux Manor, fluttering like whispered secrets in the early morning light.

The golden haze of dawn spilled across polished obsidian floors, illuminating the intricate carvings of foxes and forest scenes etched into the towering windows.

Perched upon a mountain ridge in the Netherworld, the manor felt like a fortress suspended between the waking world and something older, something watching.

Cale Delvaux opened his eyes.

Slanted, violet irises caught the rising sun as he blinked slowly, taking a breath. Cool air curled against his bare skin where it peeked out from under heavy silk sheets.

His red hair lay tangled across his pillow like threads of flame. For a moment, he stared at the shadowy ceiling above, letting silence reign.

Then he moved a hand to gently brush the spot above his temple, where his fox ears twitched beneath layers of glamour magic. The illusion would hold until he willed it away, just as it always did. His tail was curled beneath him, wrapped tight beneath another layer of enchantment.

Only in the dead of night did he allow himself to feel the weight of his responsibilities.

But this morning, like every other, Cale did not rise with thoughts of his clan or duty.

He thought of Iruma.

It had been five years since the dreams began.

He was nine years old the first time he’d found himself standing in a place he did not know, a hill of endless green, kissed by soft winds and crowned with a black castle at its peak.

And Iruma had been there.

A boy his own age, fragile-looking but bright-eyed, sitting cross-legged on the grass with a piece of bread in hand and a startled look on his face. They’d blinked at each other.

Then Iruma had smiled. Shy, uncertain, but kind.

They'd spoken for hours.

Since that night, Cale had found himself in that place again and again. No matter what occurred during the waking world, political meetings, magical tests, nightmares of fire and blood, the dream always welcomed him with its strange peace.

And Iruma.

Iruma, who laughed like sunlit rain. Iruma, who told stories of an unfamiliar world of humans, part-time jobs, and hardship softened by stubborn hope.

Iruma, who was warm in all the ways the Netherworld was cold.

He called Cale "big brother," and Cale let him.

In this place, Cale was not the Fox Prince or the heir of two prestigious demon clans. He was simply someone who listened.

Cale dressed in silence.

Ron, his butler, had already prepared his clothes. A deep indigo robe with silver thread that shimmered faintly like moonlight.

His long hair was brushed until it shone, tied low at his back with a silver clasp. None of his retainers disturbed him until he stepped into the sitting room.

"Good morning, young master," Ron greeted with a deep bow, ever composed.

Beacrox stood behind him, arms folded, gaze silently sweeping the perimeter for threats that would never come. Choi Han leaned by the window, glancing up only briefly with a flicker of recognition in his eyes.

Cale nodded to each in turn.

"Anything urgent today?"

"Nothing of note," Rosalyn answered as she entered, scrolls under her arm and a knowing look in her eyes. "Although Ameri did request your presence at the Azazel estate."

Cale arched an eyebrow. "Again?"

"Apparently, she wishes to remind you to eat properly," Rosalyn added, clearly amused.

A small sigh escaped him.

Ameri Azazel, his cousin, was as forceful as ever. A volcano in court attire. Despite their differences, her concern was genuine.

But Cale rarely left Delvaux Manor. The rumors in the Netherworld painted him as a ghost prince, too beautiful to be real, too distant to be touched.

Let them believe that. It was easier.

The day passed with quiet grace.

Cale wandered the manor’s ancient library with Eruhaben, the only other being old enough to remember what the world had once been. They did not speak often. They did not need to.

The scholar-dragon offered a few musings on soul resonance and dimensional drift, all of which Cale stored away.

As dusk approached, Cale took tea in the garden. The moon rose pale and round over the mountain ridge, and the stars began to blink awake.

He closed his eyes.

The dream welcomed him.

A gentle breeze caressed his face. He stood once more at the base of the grassy hill. The sky was twilight-purple, the black castle looming like a guardian behind it.

And there, sitting with his arms wrapped around his knees, was Iruma.

"You’re late, Cale-nii," Iruma teased with a grin.

Cale let a faint smile tug at his lips. "Time works differently here."

Iruma jumped to his feet and bounded over, nearly tripping on a root.

"I saved you a rice ball!" he declared, proudly holding up a somewhat smushed object wrapped in seaweed.

Cale accepted it with solemn grace, "Thank you."

They sat in the grass together, the wind stirring the blades around them. Crickets chirped in the distance.

Iruma chatted about his latest chores. He’d helped an old man harvest pumpkins, then dodged an angry cat, then gotten a thank-you melon from a neighbor.

His world, for all its hardship, seemed simple.

Peaceful.

Human.

Cale didn’t say much. He never did. But Iruma didn’t mind.

"Hey," Iruma said after a pause. "You’ve never told me your real name."

Cale blinked, confused since he obviously did tell him.

"Cale."

"That’s not what I mean," Iruma said, frowning a little. "I mean... what’s your last name? Or your family? I told you mine. It’s Suzuki. Suzuki Iruma."

Cale hesitated.

The wind picked up, brushing his bangs aside.

"Delvaux," he said finally.

Iruma blinked then let out an awed exclamation.

"Whoa. That sounds fancy."

"It is."

"You’re like a prince or something, huh?"

Cale turned his gaze skyward, "Something like that."

Iruma grinned cheekily,  "That means I get to call you 'Your Majesty Big Brother' now."

"Don't."

Iruma laughed, a sound that warmed the entire hill.

Back in the real world, Cale awoke just before dawn.

His fox ears twitched beneath the glamour. For a moment, he simply lay there, staring at the ceiling.

Iruma didn’t know what Cale was.

Didn’t know that his ears weren’t just cute but a symbol of ancient bloodlines soaked in war and tragedy. Didn’t know that his violet eyes marked him as the grandson of Lord Sullivan. Didn’t know that the dreams they shared may not be dreams at all, but echoes of something deeper.

Soul resonance, dimensional drift.

Two souls tethered to each other.

"Someday," Cale whispered, "we'll meet in the real world."

And maybe, on that day, they would stand side by side in more than just dreams.

But for now—

"Young master," Ron called softly from the door.

Cale sat up, brushing hair from his face. "I’m awake."

Today, the Fox Prince would walk through another quiet day in the Netherworld.

And tonight, he would dream with Iruma again.

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CHAPTER END

Chapter Text

"Humans are greedy," Iruma Suzuki muttered to himself, gazing out the wide stained-glass window of the manor.

His voice was soft, contemplative, more like a thought spoken aloud than a declaration. "But... I guess they can’t survive without that greed either."

He tugged his knees up to his chest, curling into the luxurious silk sheets. The absurdity of his new surroundings hadn’t quite settled in.

Just yesterday, just yesterday, he had been dodging falling crates at a harbor warehouse, barely earning enough to buy a stale bun for dinner.

Today?

He had a marble floor under his feet and velvet robes hanging in a gilded wardrobe.

He hugged his knees tighter.

"And my parents... they were the greediest of all."

The words weren’t spoken with anger. There was no fire or hatred in his tone.

Just resignation.

Acceptance of a truth he’d carried all his life.

His parents, with their careless laughter and wild eyes, had handed him away to a demon for a handful of gold coins.

Not that he was surprised.

They'd always treated him as something to be used. This was just the final proof.

He exhaled.

It hadn’t even felt real at first. One moment he was staring at the summoning circle they’d drawn. Haphazard, sloppy, and reckless.

The next, he was staring into the amused eyes of a towering, horned being cloaked in red and gold.

Lord Sullivan.

Lord Sullivan had beamed, absolutely beamed at him like a child presented with their first pet.

"Ah, a human child! And such a cute one too! This must be fate!"

Iruma had frozen, wide-eyed, expecting to be devoured on the spot.

Instead, Sullivan had promptly bundled him up in a cloak three sizes too big and declared.

"You're going to be my grandson!"

That had... not helped.

And yet, here he was.

Not dead.

Not eaten.

Wrapped in silk and surrounded by the kind of decadence he’d only seen in rich people's magazines while waiting at convenience stores.

He sighed, rubbing his temple.

He felt a headache just thinking about the events earlier.

"You never had a proper education, did you?" Sullivan had asked just hours earlier, twirling his mustache as he paced Iruma’s new room.

Iruma shook his head warily, "No time. Had to work."

"Well then! You’ll be enrolled at Babyls! The finest demon school in the Netherworld!"

"Wait, demon school?!"

"Yes, yes! You’ll fit in splendidly! I’ll take care of the paperwork!"

"But I’m human?!"

Sullivan gave him a grin so wide it nearly split his face.

"Don’t worry about such trivial things. You’re my precious grandson now."

Iruma had been too stunned to argue further.

And now here he was, lying on a plush bed with a canopy that looked like it belonged in a royal palace.

And for the first time in years, he wasn’t hungry.

In the hallway just beyond Iruma’s room, Lord Sullivan danced down the corridor humming a cheerful tune.

Opera, the security demon and Sullivan’s assistant, trailed silently behind him, expression unreadable.

"So... Lord Sullivan," Opera said after a long moment. "You purchased a human."

"Adopted!" Sullivan corrected, still skipping.

Opera’s tail flicked. "You realize this is highly illegal."

"Yes, yes, but look at him! He’s adorable. So polite! So hardworking! I’ve always wanted another grandchild. Levi and Belial are boasting about their grandchildren! This levels the playing field."

"And what if he refuses?"

Sullivan stopped for a moment. His smile didn’t fade, but there was something older, quieter beneath it.

"Then I let him go."

Opera raised an eyebrow. "...Truly?"

Sullivan winked.

"Probably. Maybe. Let’s not test it, yes?"

Opera sighed. Their ears twitched slightly.

'What would the Young Master say if he knew about this...'

But they didn’t speak the thought aloud.

Back in the lavish bedroom, Iruma had finally begun to relax. Tentatively, he touched the soft blanket, then leaned back into the pillows.

"I have a room," he whispered. "All to myself."

The lamp on the wall flickered gently. It was the first time in his life he had ever felt truly safe.

No yelling.

No sharp looks.

No threats of being kicked out unless he paid rent.

His eyes fluttered closed.

And when Iruma opened his eyes again, the world was bathed in shadows and moonlight.

A black castle towered above him, framed by an endless field of glowing flowers. It was a place of dreams. A place he had returned to over and over again for the past five years.

"You're late," a familiar voice drawled.

Iruma turned.

There, sitting cross-legged atop the grassy hill, was a boy with long red hair tied back loosely, dressed in elegant black. His violet eyes glowed faintly in the dreamlight.

"Cale-nii!"

Iruma grinned and ran toward him, collapsing onto the grass beside him.

"Sorry," he said, catching his breath.

"I guess I fell asleep late. Today was... a lot."

Cale raised an eyebrow, "You're never late. What happened?"

Iruma smiled sheepishly. "I got adopted."

Cale blinked. "...You what?"

"By a demon."

A long pause.

Cale’s gaze sharpened. "Did they force you?"

Iruma shook his head.

"No. Well. Kind of? He begged me really hard. And there was food. And—" he faltered. "I think he really wanted someone to care for. He called me his grandson."

Cale's lips thinned.

For a moment, Iruma thought he would scold him, but instead, Cale sighed and leaned back on one arm.

"You're too soft."

"You always say that."

"Because it's true."

They sat in silence, the stars above them swirling in slow motion.

Iruma looked at Cale from the corner of his eye.

"You’re worried, aren’t you?"

"I’m always worried when demons are involved."

"You're a demon."

Cale didn’t respond.

Iruma chuckled. He didn’t know what Cale was, not really.

But somehow, he always felt safe here, even when the older boy looked like he’d stepped out of a noble painting.

"It’s not so bad," Iruma said quietly. "He’s kind of weird, but I think he’s... lonely."

Cale looked up at the castle looming above. "Lonely can be dangerous."

Iruma’s smile softened, "Then we’ll just have to make him less lonely."

Cale huffed, "So… basically, nothing new. You're being dragged around again."

“Hey!” Iruma puffed out his cheeks. “It’s not always like that!”

Cale chuckled under his breath and reached over, ruffling Iruma’s hair with a rare fondness.

“It kind of is.”

Iruma swatted at his hand half-heartedly, grinning. “Still! It’s different this time. The demon’s actually... kinda nice. Weird. But nice.”

Cale’s hand paused in midair. “Is that so.”

“Yeah. But… I’m scared.”

There it was. The words he hadn’t had the chance to say aloud, not even to himself.

Cale didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he leaned back with a sigh and closed his eyes.

“You’re allowed to be.”

Iruma stared at him, startled.

Cale continued, “It’s okay to be scared. Just... don’t let that stop you. You always keep going, right?”

Iruma nodded slowly.

Cale opened one eye, and for a moment, he looked older than he should’ve—like someone who had lived through far too much.

“If anything happens, you know how to find me. Right, Iruma?”

Iruma smiled.

“Right.”

Far from the dream, in a quiet, sealed-off corner of the Netherworld, Cale Delvaux opened his eyes.

He lay in the quiet solitude of his manor, surrounded by protective barriers and wards only his household could pass.

His fox ears twitched slightly beneath the glamour spell he wore like a second skin. His tail stirred under layers of illusion.

"He's in the Netherworld now," he murmured.

He sat up slowly, drawing the covers aside, and crossed the room to the wide balcony.

The stars over Delvaux Manor were pale tonight, washed silver like dust.

He stared up at the heavens. "You finally arrived, little brother."

So the game had begun.

He would wait.

And when the time was right, the truth would unfold.

Back in his new room, Iruma slept soundly for the first time in his life, unaware of the secrets held close in the heart of the Netherworld. Of the red-haired prince who watched from afar. Of the family he’d never known he had.

And outside, beneath the twin moons of the demon realm, the wind whispered through the gardens of the Sullivan estate like a lullaby.

Tomorrow would come with new surprises.

But tonight, Iruma dreamed.

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CHAPTER END

Chapter Text

Morning light filtered gently through the deep crimson curtains of the Sullivan Manor, casting a golden glow across the room as Iruma Suzuki blinked awake in a luxurious bed that still felt unreal to him.

Silken sheets rustled as he sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. For the first time in years, he hadn’t been woken by the crashing sound of something falling, or by being dragged into another harrowing job.

Instead, he was surrounded by comfort.

He quickly dressed in the uniform laid out for him, a sleek and navy-blue ensemble with silver accents.

It looked formal, a little too regal for someone like him, but Sullivan had insisted it was the standard uniform for students at the Babyls Demon School.

Iruma could hardly believe he was about to attend a school. A real one, not a workplace disguised as a learning center, or a shady tutoring session on the docks.

Walking down the grand staircase, Iruma found Opera in the dining hall.

The butler demon sat poised and graceful, nibbling on toast as they flicked through a glowing, floating scroll.

They glanced up, ears twitching slightly, tail flicking once with acknowledgment.

"Good morning, Young Master," Opera greeted, voice crisp and calm.

"G-Good morning!" Iruma replied, bowing too fast and nearly knocking over the chair beside him. He scrambled to sit across from them.

A moment later, Sullivan burst in, his usual dramatic flair in full swing.

"My dear Iruma-kun~! Today is your big day! I had this special cologne made just for you! It will hide your scent from every demon in Babyls!"

He waved a bottle excitedly.

"Oh, um, thank you?" Iruma hesitated as Sullivan doused him in a sparkling mist.

It smelled like sugar and spice and something vaguely like roasted nuts. Iruma coughed. Opera handed him a napkin without comment.

"Now, remember," Sullivan said, placing his hands on Iruma’s shoulders, eyes unusually serious, "you mustn't tell anyone you’re human. Not a soul. If they find out..."

Opera finished for him, voice flat.

"You’ll be eaten."

Iruma gulped.

"R-Right. Got it."

The Netherworld sky, cast in hues of purple and blue, shimmered like an aurora above the spired towers of Babyls Demon School.

Perched on a floating landmass and held aloft by ancient demonic magics, the prestigious school loomed ahead of Iruma Suzuki, who stood frozen at its gates.

Dressed in the crisp new uniform, he fidgeted with his sleeves while standing beside Opera, who waited with quiet patience.

"You'll be fine," Opera said in a flat voice, though their cat ears twitched slightly as they glanced at the crowd of demons funneling into the school.

Iruma gulped.

Fine?

He was about to enter a school full of demons, actual demons, and the only thing protecting him from becoming lunch was a bottle of enchanted perfume masking his human scent.

Even then, he wasn’t entirely sure it worked. His hands trembled at the thought of someone finding out.

“R-right.”

Opera handed him a packed lunchbox with a dismissive nod, and Iruma bowed, deeply thankful.

“Th-thank you!”

As he joined the tide of students, his heart pounded in his chest.

"Just blend in, don’t get eaten, don’t draw attention. Easy."

He should’ve known better.

The auditorium for Babyls’ entrance ceremony was a coliseum-like structure, cavernous and glittering with floating torches.

A crowd of new students sat in neat rows, chattering and excited.

Iruma nervously took a seat near the back, shrinking in his seat.

A booming voice cut through the space.

"Silence."

Iruma flinched and raised he's head. On the stage stood an imposing demon with furrowed brows and dark aura. He is far out the back, but he could fell the disdain wafting out of him.

'Scary.'

Came the collective thoughts of the students present, Iruma included. 

Then came another demon. This one more chipper than the other.

"It is currently 6:66. All rise for the Babyls School Anthem."

Iruma hastily stood up along with the demon students. However, he could only freeze in shock and disbelief.

"Human only exist to be our food

Suck them dry; soul, blood, flesh, and all

Tremble at the sight of black wings as we take flight

Those who are terrified for we are demons

As this song pours from our red lips

Scream for us, for we are demons

Extremely evil and our residence

Its name is Babyls, a solitary school building

Dedicated without leaving souls, blood, and flesh

Aim for the Devil's Gift."

Iruma could only do his best to minimize his presence in this auditorium full of demons.

'Yabai, I'll really get eaten if I get discovered!'

Fortunately, the song didn't last long and they were seated again. Iruma silently heaved a sigh of relief.

He only needs to lay low now.

But he relaxed too soon.

“AHEM!”

The room quieted. All eyes turned to the stage as a spotlight illuminated a familiar face.

"I am Sullivan, Principal of Babyls Demon School!" Sullivan declared, dramatically throwing open his arms.

His face lit up with childish glee, and the crowd murmured in awe.

"That's Lord Sullivan!"

"Isn't he one of the Three Greats?!?"

"The next Demon King!"

"Kyaaaa! Lord Delvaux's Grandfather!"

Iruma paled. He couldn't hear the shrieks around him as he started to have a bad feeling.

Sullivan was the principal? His now grandfather was running the school?!

“Oh no…” Iruma whispered.

Sullivan's glee only intensified. “And now, I’m proud to announce that my beloved grandson, Suzuki Iruma, will give the honorary entrance speech!”

Iruma felt the world tilt.

"Huh?!? Lord Delvaux is here?!?"

"Dummy, he said a different name."

"I thought Lord Delvaux's the only grandson of Lord Sullivan?"

"Does that matter?!? I bet he's hot too if they're related!"

“But what about the freshman representative?” someone murmured.

Asmodeus Alice stood on stage, stiff with pride. Tall, elegant, and flaming with noble confidence, Alice looked prepared to deliver the best speech of his life.

Sullivan, smiling cheerily, waved a hand. “Oh, him? Don’t worry! He can sit down now~”

The stage trapdoor opened, and with an undignified yelp, Alice dropped through it.

Iruma nearly passed out.

Before he could bolt, he was magically whisked to the podium. As dozens of demon eyes bore into him, his knees threatened to give out.

Don’t faint. Don’t faint. Don’t faint.

"...he's tiny."

"And cute."

"I don't see the resemblance to Lord Delvaux—"

Iruma is panicking. This is not how he expected to start his school journey.

He was even kinda excited this morning!

Frozen, Iruma glanced at the paper on the podium.

He couldn’t give a speech, but there were words written here.

He could at least read them.

However, he moment he opened his mouth, the entire school fell silent.

"Aberuhauke Tarutoudari Iusabebe—"

The crowd gasped.

"Risutouru Aburuze Sutoumanu—"

A few teachers stood up in panic.

"Aberuge Uru Mahoraba—"

One of them, the stern demon with violet dark hair and furrowed brows, rushed to the front.

“Stop him!”

Too late.

"Tsurezaza."

The magic circle flared beneath Iruma’s feet.

The spell completed with a soft hum, and Iruma blinked.

Silence.

Then, a teacher near the edge let out a disbelieving laugh.

“He cast it… perfectly?”

Iruma stood frozen.

“W-was that bad?” he asked the crowd of teachers around him.

The brown-haired demon stepped forward and opened his squinted eyes.

“That was a forbidden incantation. If mispronounced, it would’ve dismembered him on the spot. Instead…” He narrowed his eyes. “He activated the ‘Zero Fall’ curse.”

“Meaning?” someone asked.

“He cannot fall, trip, or stumble for the rest of the day.”

A pause.

Then cheering.

Whistles. Applause. Awed gasps.

“He’s amazing!” someone shouted. “He chanted a forbidden spell just like that!”

The auditorium erupted in chaos.

"He's crazy!"

"That's amazing!"

"How bold! As expected of Lord Delvaux's relative!"

Iruma, panicking, gave a little bow and fled the stage.

But Asmodeus Alice was not pleased.

“You stole my position!” the noble demon spat, challenging Iruma to a duel after the ceremony. “Only Lord Delvaux has the right to be above me!”

Iruma flinched at the name.

‘Delvaux?’

He in only registered that now but that name sounded… familiar.

But he had no time to think.

Alice had dragged him out to the courtyard and summoned fire above his hands.

The crowd gathered in excited murmurs, students taking sides.

Iruma didn’t attack. He couldn’t. He didn’t even know how.

But he could dodge.

Asmodeus Alice unleashed flames that roared like dragons.

Iruma dodged.

Another spell, fireballs shot from his hands.

Iruma rolled, ducked, and weaved. His body moved like a wind-blown leaf.

Years of surviving falling pianos, collapsing ladders, and runaway shopping carts had given him unmatched reflexes.

Twenty full minutes passed with Iruma weaving, ducking, sidestepping flaming spears and searing blasts. The crowd grew more impressed by the second. Alice, mistaking his dodges for arrogance, grew increasingly enraged.

Alice gritted his teeth.

"Why aren’t you attacking? Do you think I’m not even worth it?!"

Finally, in a blind rush, he cast a direct strike.

A student nearby, a girl with blonde pigtails and small horns, was directly in the path. Iruma lunged, pulling her out of the way.

As they tumbled, the spell’s earlier effect activated.

He didn't fall.

Instead, Alice collided with Iruma mid-air and flipped over his shoulder, crashing into the ground in a perfect German suplex.

Silence.

Then cheers.

The courtyard roared with applause. Iruma blinked down at the unconscious Alice, utterly bewildered.

“Iruma saved me…!” whispered the girl, Eiko Oni, with tears in her eyes. From that moment, she became quietly obsessed with thanking him, though she never quite managed to do it properly.

"He took him down in one move!"

"Did you see that suplex?!"

"Such power..."

"As expected of Lord Delvaux's relative..."

Iruma staggered to his feet, dazed. "W-What just happened?!"

By the end of the day, he was the most talked-about new student.

Back at the Principal’s office, Iruma soullessly sat sipping juice as Sullivan prattled on.

The door then slammed open.

Alice Asmodeus stood there, bruised but determined.

“You have bested me in combat. As per demon custom… I swear myself to your service.”

"W-Wait—"

"Together, we shall rise to rule Babyls."

Iruma groaned. "Whyyyyy?"

Sullivan cheered from his seat while Opera pinched the bridge of their nose.

That evening, Lord Sullivan retreated to the privacy of his grand study.

The room smelled faintly of old books and sulfur. The walls were lined with shelves filled with tomes, trinkets, and glowing crystals.

Sullivan locked the door behind him and stepped toward a gold-framed mirror.

He tapped it twice.

The image shimmered.

Cale Delvaux, or Lord Delvaux, appeared on screen, dressed in crisp, dark robes, a single lock of red hair falling across his forehead.

Sullivan squealed. "My dear grandson!"

Cale’s face remained carefully blank, "I heard your so-called grandson made a mess of things at Babyls. Funny, I don’t remember enrolling."

"Oh, not you! I adopted a child."

Silence.

Cale’s amethyst eyes narrowed. His mind ticked through the details.

Human.

School.

Grandson.

A quiet realization dawned. But he said nothing.

"I’ll be enrolling," Cale said flatly.

Sullivan sparkled with joy. "Oh, I’m so happy! Iruma-kun and you will be such good friends!"

Cale gave him a look that could kill a demon. But Sullivan had grown accustomed to his grumpy grandchild. 

He merely laughed joyfully and proceeded to prattle on about how he found Iruma and how he has been so far.

The quiet night of the Netherworld buzzed faintly as two stories, one of an unwilling student, and one of a reluctant heir, began to intertwine.

And deep inside Babyls, whispers of the human who suplexed Asmodeus echoed through enchanted halls, growing more outrageous by the hour.

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CHAPTER END

Chapter Text

In front of a tall, obsidian-framed mirror, Naberius Kalego stood unmoving. He stared at his reflection in stoic silence, the only sound in the room a distant ticking clock.

It was the start of a new semester at Babyls Demon School.

More importantly, it was Familiar Summoning Day. The ceremony where first-years would call forth their bound familiars, forging contracts that would last their whole lives.

Kalego adjusted his tie with crisp, practiced fingers. His brows furrowed ever so slightly.

“Let’s get this over with,” he muttered, voice cold as stone.

His hand lingered briefly at his collar, as if the act might anchor him in place. He scowled faintly, the memory of recent news resurfacing like a bad taste.

The Headmaster had made yet another absurd announcement.

The eccentric, and utterly maddening Sullivan claimed to have two grandsons.

The Delvaux heir was one matter. But this new boy… Iruma... had already caused trouble before classes even began.

Just thinking about it made Kalego's jaw tighten.

He exhaled slowly and tugged on his coat.

“Today,” he said to no one in particular, “the ritual will proceed. With or without disaster.”

His reflection faded behind him as he walked away.

"You’d better be prepared, Iruma," he said flatly.

“Such a good child, Iruma. You always do what we say,” a woman’s voice purred, saccharine and sweet.

Iruma smiled softly, eyes half-lidded as his mother stroked his hair. The warmth of her rare attention seeped into him like sunlight.

Then his father appeared, boxes piled in his arms and a grin on his face.

“Be a dear and carry these. And don’t forget to clean the bathroom after.”

Iruma nodded, his small body already in motion. He was praised again.

“You’re such a good child, Iruma,” his mother said again, her voice velvet-smooth. “In that case… do you mind if we sell you to a demon?”

Iruma blinked.

And standing behind them now, towering and inhuman, was Sullivan with eyes glowing and smile gleaming.

And ghis time, instead of smiling and saying yes—

“Of course that’s not okay!”

Iruma sat bolt upright, lungs seizing in a scream that caught halfway. Cold sweat clung to his temples, and his heart pounded like a war drum.

A nightmare.

He dragged a hand down his face.

"I really don’t like dreaming without Cale..." he mumbled, voice hoarse. "It always turns out awful..."

The rapid beating of his heart and the sweat dripping down his temples were unpleasant.

Fortunately for him, the silence didn’t last long.

“Good morning, my precious little grandson, Iruma-kun! Grandpa’s here~!”

The door burst open with all the force of a theatrical stage entrance. Sullivan swept into the room, a blizzard of sparkles and color, arms flung wide.

Iruma blinked slowly.

Yep. This was real.

This was his life now.

The mansion’s dining hall brimmed with the clink of cutlery and the bubbling of ominous, infernal soups. The chandelier above them hissed with tiny green flames, and the floor occasionally blinked like it was alive.

“Did you sleep well?” Sullivan asked, practically bouncing in his chair.

“Yes,” Iruma said, still half-dazed.

“Don’t be shy! Eat as much as you want! You’re a growing boy.”

“Okay...” he replied, hesitant, and looked at the feast laid before him.

The food looked otherworldly.

One bowl of stew swirled on its own, as if sentient.

But to Iruma’s surprise, it was delicious. Rich and warm, full of deep spices. Each bite loosened a knot in his chest he hadn’t realized was there.

Opera appeared beside him, silent as ever, and placed a steaming cup near his hand.

“Hell Grey,” the butler said simply.

Iruma peered into the swirling purple liquid, hesitant. It looked... dangerous.

He took a cautious sip.

It tasted of early mornings and lavender.

Iruma decided he liked it despite its appearance.

Sullivan then beamed, “Today is your first day at school.”

Cough!

Iruma coughed violently, clutching his cup.

Right.

Babyls Demon School.

‘They’ll eat me alive if they find out I’m human!’ he panicked.

But instead of running, he took a steady breath and turned to Sullivan.

“Um... can I talk to you about something?”

Sullivan tilted his head. “Hm?”

“It’s about school—”

“Oh! Before that. Opera!”

“Yes, sir.”

With a snap of fingers, glittering magic shimmered across the floor. In a puff of smoke, a towering pile of gift-wrapped boxes appeared, stacked like a mountain of chaos.

Iruma gawked.

“This is all for me?! But you already gave me gifts yesterday—”

“Yesterday was to celebrate me getting a second grandson! This is for your first day of school!”

‘Helicopter parent!’ Iruma thought dumbfounded.

As he was still reeling from shock, Sullivan then held out a handkerchief embroidered with golden thread.

“Ta-da! Opera and I stitched this ourselves! A token of protection!”

Iruma gently accepted it, eyes catching the small bandages on Sullivan’s fingers.

“It’s... beautiful,” he said softly.

“And this!” Sullivan pulled out a tiny chick-like thing. It shrieked so suddenly as if making its grand entrance known.

“Your hellraiser alarm clock! Guaranteed to wake the dead!”

It screamed again, like a banshee being set on fire. If he didn't have a tight grip to it, Iruma might have dropped it.

Then, as Sullivan finally paused for breath, he smiled kindly.

“So, Iruma-kun, what was it you wanted to talk about?”

Iruma looked at the pile of gifts. The warmth. The sincerity in those strange, glowing eyes.

He swallowed.

“I... want to go,” he said.

Sullivan blinked once, then erupted into joyous laughter, spinning in place.

“Splendid! Oh, and you’ll get to meet Cale!”

Iruma froze.

“Cale?” he echoed, lips parting in surprise.

Sullivan beamed.

“Yes! My other grandson! I told him all about you last night and guess what? He decided to enroll, too! Even though I’ve been trying to convince him for months!”

Iruma’s jaw dropped.

“Cale... Delvaux? You told him about me?!”

Sullivan paused, mid-spin, “Hm? You know my Cale already?”

Realizing his slip-up, Iruma chuckled nervously.

“I, uh... heard about him. Yesterday... at the orientation?”

“Oh-ho~ So you’re curious about your big brother~!”

Opera, from the side, gave a quiet chuckle. Though, they did have a contemplative look on their face.

After a while, they finally finished breakfast. Iruma walked outside, ready to leave for school.

The skies above the Netherworld were painted soft lavender and blue.

Iruma stood at the gates of the mansion, dressed in the crisp blue uniform of Babyls.

The fabric was a bit stiff, the fit tailored, but it made him feel… new.

“I’m off!” he called.

“Have a good day, my sweet Iruma-kun!” Sullivan cheered, holding a video camera.

“Now we follow him! I need to capture his first walk to school!”

Opera calmly reached out and grabbed him by the collar.

“You’ll be working from home today.”

“Noooooooo. Opera, my boy—!”

The door slammed shut behind him.

Iruma exhaled and looked ahead.

A new world. A new school. A new beginning.

And somewhere out there—

Cale was waiting, too.


Iruma gave a determined nod as he started walking away from the Sullivan Estate.

A while later, Iruma's feet scuffed lightly against the smooth stone path leading to Babyls Demon School, his heart racing a bit faster with every step.

'I need to do everything I can to not be noticed,' he thought, repeating his mental mantra.

But then, something pink at the entrance of the school caught his eye.

'Who…?'

His gaze narrowed as he approached, only to be greeted by a figure on his knees, grinning so brightly it could have rivaled the sun.

"Good morning, Iruma-sama! I've been waiting for you for six hours and six minutes!"

Iruma froze in place.

It was none other than Asmodeus Alice, who seemed to glow with a vibrance that was both alarming and oddly mesmerizing. His eyes were shining, eager, as though this was the most normal thing in the world.

"Good... morning, Asmodeus-kun." Iruma said, blinking in confusion. Before backtracking when he's confused brain finally processed what the pinkette said.

"Six hours?! Did you even get any sleep?!"

Alice beamed brightly, not a trace of fatigue can be seen.

"Sleep? Of course! But my anticipation was far too great, so I stayed up and waited for you to arrive, Iruma-sama! I couldn’t possibly leave without seeing you on your first day!"

Iruma scratched his head nervously.

"I-I mean, there's no need for you to wait that long. You should have been resting!"

Asmodeus blinked, looking like he hadn’t even considered it.

"Is that so? Oh, please, just call me Azz."

Iruma hesitated, glancing at Alice's overly excited face.

"Azz...kun? Uhm, okay. So, from now on, I call you that?"

"Yes, please!" Asmodeus responded instantly, his voice practically a song, “And let me carry your bag, Iruma-sama!”

Iruma jumped back a little, waving his hands. "Oh, you really don’t need to do that!"

Asmodeus didn’t seem to care about the protest. He was already offering his hands to take Iruma’s bag with an enthusiasm that would have knocked down any doubts.

Iruma felt himself on the verge of breaking into nervous laughter when he overheard a group of students chatting nearby.

"That’s the honor student, Iruma…" one murmured.

"Did you see the paper? I thought they were talking ‘bout Lord Delvaux," another whispered.

"That Iruma, I guess he really did make the first-year representative his servant."

Iruma’s face drained of color, his eyes wide in realization.

'So much for ‘not standing out,’ he thought, panic rising in his chest.

Before he could say anything, Asmodeus gave him a bright grin, unfazed by the whispers.

“Come on, Iruma-sama! We should hurry, or we’ll be late!”

Iruma could only laugh in defeat before trailing behind an excited Alice.

The halls of Babyls were just as grand as Iruma had imagined, yet a little overwhelming too. The labyrinth of corridors seemed endless, and students filled every corner.

His eyes darted around, unsure of what to expect next.

"So… where are we going again?" Iruma asked, trying to mask his unease.

Asmodeus beamed at him, still bouncing with energy.

"You're in the same group as me, Iruma-sama!" he announced happily.

"Group?" Iruma echoed, not sure what he meant.

"Yes! They’ll divide all 163 new students into groups, and then we’ll prepare for classes to begin. It can't just happen all at once, can it?"

"I see..." Iruma nodded, though it didn’t quite ease his nerves.

"And today," Asmodeus continued, “We have the Familiar Summoning Ritual! Let’s head to the Familiars’ Hall!"

"Familiars?" Iruma asked, a bit lost.

Asmodeus nodded, clearly delighted to explain.

“It’s a tradition here at Babyls! After entering the school, each student summons a magical beast and makes it their subordinate. Your rank is determined by the creature you summon, and climbing those ranks leads to academic success at Babyls!"

Iruma's mind raced with possibilities and horrific scenarios.

'Magical beasts? Subordinates?' He gulped, unsure of what sort of creatures would be summoned here. 'I wonder if familiars eat humans... Wait... does that mean Cale has a familiar too?'

The thought of Cale, ever distant and mysterious, crossed his mind briefly. He couldn't help but wonder. Did his “big brother” participate into this tradition, too? He must have, since he's a demon. Or maybe they'll be doing it together, since Grandpa said Cale would be enrolling at Babyls.

Asmodeus opened the door to the Familiars' Hall with a flourish, and Iruma followed hesitantly inside.

He gazed at each demon, trying to find that familiar shade of red.

Unfortunately for Iruma, the room was large and filled with students already standing in groups. The energy was both excited and tense, a buzz of chatter filling the air.

And there, amidst the crowd, was Eiko, her eyes lighting up when she saw Iruma.

"Iruma-sa—" she began, voice full of excitement.

But before she could finish, a sharp voice cut through the chatter.

"Silence."

The entire room froze, and all eyes turned to the entrance.

Naberius Kalego stepped inside, his presence immediately commanding the room. His cold, calculating eyes swept over the students, and Iruma felt the air grow heavy with tension.

"Silence," Kalego repeated, his voice as icy as ever.

Iruma immediately stiffened.

He had heard rumors(from Alice) about the terrifying teacher. The stories were as frightening as they were exaggerated, but Iruma could feel the weight of those eyes like a physical presence.

'No way… this is really happening…'

He couldn’t help but swallow, mentally bracing for whatever was to come next.

'Cale, where are you?'

✧✧✧

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CHAPTER END

Chapter Text

A While Earlier

Professor Naberius Kalego glared into the mirror mounted above his desk, adjusting the perfect fold of his cravat with all the restraint of a man keeping chaos at bay by sheer willpower.

However, the moment his fingers left the fabric, a jagged crack split clean through the center of the glass with an audible snap.

He stilled, face unreadable.

“…Tch. Cheap craftsmanship,” he muttered, dismissing the omen with a scoff.

Boots clicking like thunder on marble, he strode toward the door. But fate was not yet done mocking him.

With a sudden twang, the strap of his left boot gave out.

His posture faltered, barely, but enough for his eye to twitch like it had just been personally insulted.

Silently, he repaired it with a flick of his fingers, magic lacing the strap back together.

He stepped into the corridor without another word, fully prepared to ignore the ominous chill running down his spine.

Then he saw it.

The cat.

A sleek, red feline with gleaming maroon eyes and a smug curl to its mouth sat dead center in the hallway, its tail flicking with arrogance.

Kalego’s eye twitched again.

It blinked.

And then.

Pop!

Another cat.

Pop!

A third.

A fourth.

A fifth.

Soon, a perfectly aligned diagonal line of identical, unsettlingly smug cats stretched down the corridor, each one sitting just off-center, just wrong enough to be infuriating.

“…I hate this school,” Kalego hissed under his breath.

He turned on his heel.

Meow.

He froze.

Meow.

Meow.

Meow.

All in unison. The lights overhead flickered.

Kalego inhaled deeply, praying to his ancestors for self-control.

“Whatever happens today,” he growled to no one in particular, “I will not lose my dignity.”

Above Babyls, thunder rumbled. But it didn’t roar.

It laughed.

Present Time

“Silence.”

The air dropped several degrees. Naberius Kalego’s voice was as sharp as obsidian, cutting through the hall like a guillotine blade.

The chatter died instantly.

“I am Naberius Kalego, your advisor,” he intoned with a glare that dared anyone to question the hierarchy.

“I am always in charge of this ritual. Why? Because I am dignified at all times.”

A pause.

“I will determine whether you lot are useless trash or useful trash.”

He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to.

He stormed down the aisle and halted in front of Iruma, who instinctively shrank under the intensity of his stare.

“For example…” Kalego leaned in, voice dropping to a glacial hiss.

“If a certain piece of trash used the spotlight his grandfather gave him to chant a vulgar spell and then caused a disgraceful scene on that same day, he would be expelled immediately. And if another dared to strike a professor during the ceremony…?”

He smiled. It was not kind.

“Immediate. Expulsion.”

Iruma trembled. Asmodeus narrowed his eyes.

“I will expel any failures. Be warned.”

With a dramatic flick of his hand, Kalego summoned an oversized pink screen into existence. The overly cheerful chibi-demon mascot that appeared on it nearly blinded the students with its saccharine glee.

“Super Easy! Familiar-Summoning Course~!”

 

“One: Draw a circle in blood on some parchment!”

“Two: Step into the circle with the parchment!”

“Three: Burn it above the candle!”

“Four: Watch the smoke take form and voilà! You have a familiar~!”

“Let's do our best—”

Kalego slammed the screen on the floor. His contempt was palpable as it oozed out.

“None of that idiocy was my doing. Ignore it.”

It was then, a half-dragon student tentatively raised her hand, “U-Um… is this… dangerous?”

Kalego raised an eyebrow. “Foolish question. If your familiar disobeys you—”

With a single glance, he incinerated the still-smiling chibi mascot mid-sentence.

“—they will be punished. This is a blood pact. Treat it with appropriate fear.”

He clapped his hands.

“Line up.”

The students complied in shaky silence.

Asmodeus muttered under his breath, “He isn’t even pretending to hide his hostility.”

He then turned to Iruma with a bright smile.

“I’ll gladly charge him if you give the order, Iruma-sama!”

“Please don’t!”

“Hm… Disappointing.”

No, he did not pout.

One by one, students performed the summoning ritual.

A cacophony of magical creatures filled the hall. Growling, screeching, hissing, or simply blinking in confusion. Iruma watched in awe.

Then Asmodeus stepped forward.

A surge of smoke, a burst of violet light, and a beautiful Gorgon Snake materialized, coiling with elegant menace around the pedestal.

“Wow… Azz-kun, that’s amazing!”

“It is nothing compared to what you will summon, Iruma-sama!” he said with glowing eyes.

Iruma laughed nervously.

'I’m human. I don’t even know if this’ll work...'

“Next. Iruma.”

Iruma gulped. All eyes turned toward him. But a moment later, a smiled graced his lips.

'Wait, if I fail I get expelled. If I’m expelled… I get to go home! Yes! Except…'

He frowned.

'What about Cale?'

A thud echoed as he stepped into the circle.

Kalego’s lip curled in distain.

'That smile. That same stupid, arrogant smile. Just like HIM. That wretched “Mr. Random” demon who cost me my pride, my pay, and my peace.'

He thought with gritted teeth.

'If that brat messes this up, I’ll expel him myself.'

The parchment flared with eerie light. The circle blazed to life.

Summoning — a demon rite to bind magical creatures into service.

But for a human?

The rules… shifted.

A burst of violet light swallowed the chamber.

“W-What the—?!”

The smoke swirled violently. A shadowed figure rose from the circle, but it wasn’t a creature.

It was a person.

Half-formed, stuck between a portal.

And that person was—

“S-SENSEI?!”

“I— WHAT IS THIS?! WHAT DID YOU DO?!”

Kalego’s shriek reverberated across the walls. His upper body was suspended in the air, his lower half standing from another part of the hall entirely.

“I don’t know!!” Iruma wailed.

“Stop the ritual! Now!”

“Okay! Uh—!”

Iruma scrambled to Kalego’s lower half and tugged.

“Come on!”

“GAAAAAH! You’re tearing me in half! Push, you idiot!”

“Sorry!!”

He hastily grabbed Kalego's two legs and shoved.

“Like this?!”

“No! Not my—!”

But it was too late.

POP

Smoke.

And then silence.

There, hovering in midair, a small and chubby chick.

Purple-tinged, horned, bat-winged.

Angry.

Kalego blinked at his tiny, fluffy body. His eye twitched.

And he passed out.

“SENSEI!!”

Asmodeus was misty-eyed.

“Iruma-sama… You’re a genius.”

“WHAT? NO!”

The chick form trembled. Kalego’s aura surged, and he transformed into a larger, and unmistakably scarier, version of his chick self. 

“Inconceivable… Me?! A familiar?! Cancel it! Now! Or I’ll—”

BOOM!

A bolt of red lightning from the ritual circle shocked him into silence.

“He disobeyed,” a student whispered.

“He got punished.”

“The Honor Student made another demon his familiar!”

Iruma stood sheepishly in the headmaster’s office beside a now fully recovered, and visibly traumatized, Kalego.

“My grandson!” Sullivan laughed heartily. “You’ve done wonderfully!”

Kalego’s mouth was a thin, pale line.

“I demand nullification. Now.”

“Sorry,” Sullivan said cheerfully. “One-year contract. Break it, and you might both explode. Like boom! You wouldn't want that now, would you?”

“…I hate this school,” Kalego rasped.

“Oh, and Kalego-kun~!” Sullivan added, as if an afterthought, “You’ll be overseeing Cale-kun’s summoning ritual next! Ganbare~!”

It was too much and Kalego fainted.

He was bedridden for three days.

And Iruma’s rank? Still unknown. But he was now infamously known as the boy who summoned a teacher as his familiar.

At the Delvaux Manor, Cale sat beneath the sprawling canopy of the garden, sipping tea.

The faint rustle of leaves accompanied Ron’s footsteps as the ever-smiling butler approached.

“Ron,” Cale said slowly, “could you repeat what you just said?”

Ron handed him a newspaper. The headline blared in bold, shimmering letters.

HONOR STUDENT SUMMONS DEMON PROFESSOR AS FAMILIAR!

With an accompanying photo: a scowling chick version of Kalego being hugged by a blue-haired student.

 

Cale blinked.

Then he smirked.

“…I never expected to live to see the day people would call Sensei cute.”

Ron’s eyes glinted with cruel amusement. His tail swayed like a pleased cat.

“Indeed, Young Master. This Ron is eager to meet the ‘pup’ again.”

Cale sighed, shaking his head. “Poor bastard. He’s got your attention now.”

He glanced back at the photo, eyes falling on the awkward face of Iruma.

'You really don’t do anything halfway, do you?'

Cale mused, fond exasperation softening his expression.

'I leave you alone for a day and you summon a professor as your familiar.'

The corner of his mouth twitched.

Still, there was paperwork to finish. A few nobles to intimidate.

After that, he’d be able to attend classes with Iruma.

He tapped his pen against the rim of his teacup.

“And maybe,” he muttered to himself, “keep him out of trouble next time.”

Ron raised a brow. “Will that be before or after the next headline?”

Cale didn’t respond. He only stared at the sky, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

✧✧✧

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CHAPTER END

Chapter Text

The world was dark. Then suddenly, it wasn’t.

A soft luminescence spread like spilled ink across velvet sky, and with it, Iruma found himself once more standing in a dream that wasn’t quite his own.

The air was warmer here, familiar and a little nostalgic, laced with the scent of tea leaves and old parchment.

He blinked, adjusting to the surroundings.

Towering gothic walls, arched windows lined with obsidian glass, and carved blackwood pillars told him everything he needed to know.

Iruma's heart leapt with a rush of anticipation.

He hadn’t seen him since the last dream, and even then, it had been brief.

He turned and sure enough, sprawled across an enormous velvet divan like some bored prince was Cale.

“Cale-nii!”

The name burst from Iruma like sunlight through clouds, and as soon as he said it, Cale turned his head, red hair spilling over his shoulder like blood against moonlight.

His sharp violet eyes met Iruma’s with a lazy sort of fondness.

Cale lifted a hand in a slow, casual wave. The gesture was half a greeting, half an invitation.

Iruma didn’t wait.

He darted forward, shoes tapping quietly on the marbled obsidian floor, before throwing himself beside the older boy like a puppy seeking its pack. The cushion beneath them shifted under his weight.

Only once he was settled did Iruma notice something new.

Something soft.

Something… fluffy?

His wide blue eyes blinked in surprise.

“Ah! Cale-nii!” he gasped, pointing. “You have ears and a tail!”

Indeed, nestled among Cale’s crimson locks were a pair of black, fox-like ears, tipped with silver. A long, luxurious tail draped lazily beside him like a blanket spun from starlight.

Cale tilted his head, the corners of his lips lifting in an amused smirk.

“I always had them,” he said, voice languid, a low purr that hinted at a long day, “I just hid them with illusion magic.”

Iruma’s mouth formed a perfect “O” of understanding.

His fingers twitched with the need to touch, but he hesitated.

He had learned that not everyone liked being touched.

“Can I…?” he asked, voice tentative. “Can I touch them?”

Cale raised an elegant brow as if measuring his sincerity. Then, with the grace of a king humoring a court jester, he lifted his tail and placed it gently across Iruma’s lap.

Iruma stared at it as if it were sacred.

Then, reverently, he brushed his hand through the fur.

It was softer than anything he had ever touched before. 

The texture was cool at first but warmed quickly beneath his fingers, almost like the tail recognized him.

“It’s so soft,” Iruma breathed, utterly entranced. “Like a cloud… or warm cotton candy.”

Cale chuckled low in his throat, the sound like velvet, “You’re easy to entertain.”

Iruma didn’t disagree.

He was too busy marveling at how the light glimmered faintly off the strands of the tail when he stroked it against the grain.

But as wonder began to settle, it nudged at a thought he'd buried beneath the excitement, he had questions.

A lot of them.

“Cale-nii,” he said suddenly, sitting up straighter and letting the tail rest gently in his lap, “can I ask questions now?”

Cale blinked at him, head lolling to one side like a tired housecat.

Iruma took that as permission and launched into a torrent.

“Why didn’t you sleep last night? Are you alright? Oh! Also, this is your world, right? I heard your name a bunch of times at school, are you famous?! Grandpa said you’re his grandson so we’re cousins, right?! When will we meet in person? Do you know Babyls? It’s this scary school where there are demons who will most likely eat me, but don’t worry! I survived! But seriously, the—”

Whap!

The soft, luxurious tail that had previously been so docile suddenly slapped gently across his mouth.

“Mph—!” Iruma stared in surprise.

“You’re awfully more talkative today,” Cale muttered, clearly unimpressed but not annoyed.

Iruma gave a sheepish laugh and waited patiently as the tail retracted, curling back to Cale’s side like an obedient pet.

The boy beside him looked a little less composed than before, rubbing at his temple with one hand.

His eyes were half-lidded, and though his body was relaxed, Iruma could see the faint shadows beneath his eyes.

“Did I say something wrong?” Iruma asked, voice smaller now.

“No,” Cale sighed. “Just… you really are a kid, huh?”

“I’m fourteen!” Iruma huffed indignantly.

Cale gave him a look that said ‘And I’ve lived through five political coups and an underworld war.’

Still, after a few seconds, Cale sat up slightly and adjusted the fall of his hair over his shoulder.

“Yes, I didn’t sleep last night,” he began, tone resigned but honest. “I had to deal with… clan problems. Yes, I’m fine. Just tired.”

He glanced sideways, expression unreadable.

“Yes, this is my world. And no, I’m not famous. I don’t know where you got that idea.”

“But your name’s everywhere!” Iruma interjected, bouncing a little. “There’s a whole building in the southern wing with your name etched on a mural!”

“That’s because Grandfather built it,” Cale said flatly.

Iruma blinked, “Oh.”

Somehow, that made sense.

“And yes,” Cale continued with a faint sigh, “legally, we are cousins. But to me… you’re my little troublemaker brother.”

That made Iruma light up like a firecracker.

A warm rush of joy spread in his chest, uncontainable.

“R-Really?!”

“Yes, really,” Cale rolled his eyes affectionately.

“Now stop getting emotional.”

Iruma giggled, wiping at his eyes.

“Too late!”

Cale shook his head with a fond exasperation.

“Yes, I know Babyls. The old man has been pestering me more about it ever since you got enrolled. Had to tell him I won't so he'll stop.”

Iruma gasped in mock offense, “You won't?!”

“Not really,” Cale replied with a half-smile. “After all, someone needs to keep an eye on you.”

That made Iruma grin all the harder.

“And as for when we’ll meet…” Cale trailed off, expression softening. “Soon. Just wait for a bit.”

Iruma nodded solemnly, there was a certain weight to those words that Iruma couldn’t quite place. 

“Then I’ll wait. As long as it takes.”

The redhead glanced at him with a flicker of surprise, then smiled genuinely this time.

“You’re too good for this world,” Cale murmured. “Or any world.”

And Iruma, bright as ever, leaned back and stretched, legs dangling off the edge of the divan.

“So! Want to hear about my day at Babyls?”

Cale quirked a brow. “Does it involve the pink-haired one trying to set the school on fire again?”

“No! This time it was it was the garden!”

“…Why?”

“I have no idea!”

And so began the recounting.

Iruma chattered happily, animatedly describing every bizarre, chaotic, heartwarming, and horrifying thing that had happened since morning.

Cale listened. Sometimes he smirked, other times he sighed.

But mostly, he just watched Iruma with that same patient, almost wistful fondness.

Like a fox watching its favorite cub tumble through the woods.

“You really are hopeless,” Cale murmured at one point.

“I try my best,” Iruma replied with pride.

Eventually, as the world around them dimmed and the dream began to flicker at the edges, Iruma leaned against Cale’s shoulder and let out a quiet yawn.

“I’m glad you were here tonight,” he mumbled sleepily.

“...Me too.”

“Even if you’re secretly a famous fox demon prince or something.”

Cale snorted.

“You’re lucky you’re cute.”

“I know,” Iruma giggled, snuggling closer.

The last thing Iruma remembered before the dream faded was the warmth of Cale’s tail curling around him like a blanket, and the steady, heartbeat-like pulse of magic that felt like home.

The next day at Babyls, the demon school buzzed with chatter and bursts of chaotic energy as students roamed the polished obsidian halls.

Among them were two rather distinct figures: one with blue hair and nervous eyes, and the other proud and elegant, radiating power.

"This way, Iruma-sama."

Suzuki Iruma blinked, startled from his thoughts as he trailed after Asmodeus Alice.

"Oh, right... Uhm... we are getting our textbooks, right?"

"Yes! For fascinating subjects such as the basics of being a demon, curses, pharmaceutics, and the art of torture! I can hardly wait!"

Asmodeus practically glowed with excitement.

Iruma, meanwhile, gave him a sheepish smile.

Torture?

Pharmaceutics?

Iruma was a pacifist at heart. Always had been.

But then... there was Cale.

Cale had always told him, "Hit them when they least expect it, Iruma. Don’t hesitate. That’s what keeps you alive."

That advice had saved Iruma's life more times than he could count.

Cale was a strange but comforting presence in his life.

He wasn't here now, but Iruma could already imagine him leaning against a couch with his usual lazy smirk, offering the most unconventional wisdom.

"Being alive is the best, Iru," Cale always said.

And Iruma took it to heart.

His thoughts shattered like glass when flames suddenly flared beside him.

"You lot! What do you think you're doing? Make way for Iruma-sama!"

"Please stop!" Iruma squeaked in panic.

Alice summoned his familiar, the Gorgon Snake, sending three startled demon students fleeing.

Iruma sighed.

Alice didn’t listen.

Again.

"You really don’t have to do that every time..."

They continued walking toward the designated room for textbook distribution.

"Oh, this must be it."

A sudden scream made Iruma flinch.

Asmodeus immediately stepped in front of him, arm outstretched. 

The door burst open, and a green blur shot out, bouncing through a pile of stacked cartons. Alice swatted a flying carton aside with perfect grace.

"Strike!"

A green-haired girl rose from the pile triumphantly, hands raised like a champion. Her grin was wide, chaotic, and filled with childlike delight.

"I'm Clara! And my right foot is Connor, and my left foot is Murf! My familiar is Falfal!"

She rambled on with fervor, throwing candy at Iruma.

"See, I was trying to grab some teaching aids, but I got too excited and crashed! Hey, have some candy! Don’t you just wanna go KABOOM when you see a bunch of stuff stacked up? Watch me do it again!"

She then began re-stacking the boxes while humming a tune.

"If it's for Daddy, I'll skip to my lou... If it's for Mommy, I'll pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake..."

Iruma was frozen, eyes darting between Clara and the candy.

She was loud, unpredictable, and energetic. But not... scary. Just overwhelming.

"Valac Clara," Asmodeus whispered. "She’s infamous for being eccentric and clingy. A known weirdo. Avoid her, Iruma-sama."

That didn't stop Clara from skipping over to them like they were old pals.

A teacher strolled in, the same brunette from the entrance ceremony.

"Hey! Stop stacking those!"

Then his eyes landed on the trio.

"Iruma-kun. And you're Asmodeus-kun, right? I'll leave the rest to you."

With a flick of his fingers, he used magic to levitate all three, binding them in ropes.

"WAIT—!" Alice yelled.

Iruma gaped in shock.

Clara cheered.

"Off you go," the teacher said cheerfully. "Oh, don’t forget your textbooks."

Once they where let go at the back gardens, Clara rolled around on the grass.

"Iruma-chi! Azz-Azz! What do you wanna play?"

"Iruma-chi?"

"Azz-Azz?"

"I’ve got lots of things! A spiky ball! A nom-nom picture book! A broken, blood-stained family murder house set!"

Asmodeus whispered grimly, "Let us flee."

"Huh? B-But..."

Clara perked up.

"Let’s play murder house! Iruma-chi, you can be the tree in our yard!"

"Eh?"

"Please?"

The moment she said the word, Iruma folded. He crouched stiffly like a tree.

Old habits die hard, Cale would have sighed at him.

Fortunately for him, he and Cale played games from his world sometimes. Iruma got this.

Narrator: Human games are different from demon games, especially Valac’s, Iruma.

He ended up being a tree, a strong wind, and Clara’s demon dog.

"Azz-Azz, you'll be the young housewife next door my husband cheats on me with."

"You can’t be serious! You want me, this noble me, to act like that?!"

"Let’s play together, Azz-kun!"

In seconds, Asmodeus was donning a blue flower and a crude picture of a woman on his chest.

"Hurry up and divorce my dear! You're the worst wife ever!"

"Hi-yah!"

Clara swung an axe at him.

Asmodeus hastily dodged, outraged,  "WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING?!"

"Iruma-chi, stop us!"

"Huh? What do you want the dog to do?"

She pulled off her monster slippers.

"Connor and Murf can be the husbands! Say hi!"

Iruma hesitated. Were those eyes on the slippers... moving?

He decided not to question it.

The chaotic family roleplay ended with Clara serving them a strange mud-dish and riding on Asmodeus's back, smacking him to run faster.

"Azz-kun... are you alright? Should we switch?"

"Perfectly fine... Iruma-sama." Alice growled through gritted teeth.

"You’ll regret this humiliation, Valac..."

Eventually, they were being chased by a demonic picture book with teeth. Alice bravely threw himself into its maw to let Iruma escape.

Panting, Iruma stumbled into an unfamiliar dirtpath and stopped before a massive red door with four golden locks.

"What is this place...?”

However, he had no time to investigate. Clara was catching up.

Two hours later, the trio collapsed beneath a tree. Clara pulled bottles from her yellow pouches.

"Here, Iruma-chi! Azz-Azz! Hydration time!"

"Thanks. What’s this?"

"My family’s specialty! I can make anything I’ve seen appear!"

"Really? That’s amazing!"

Just then, a blond demon boy strolled up.

"Hey, Clarin."

"Yocchin!"

"Got more owners, huh?"

"Yup!"

Iruma blinked, 'Owners?'

Yocchin asked for drinks. Clara patted her pouches and gave him and his friends refreshments and they walked off laughing.

Iruma frowned.

"Who was that?"

"It's Yocchin and his group! They’re happy when I give them stuff. Sometimes they even play with me!"

She recounted scenes to Iruma, but they weren’t fun. They teased her, mocked her, and used her.

Iruma felt a cold twist in his chest.

"Isn’t that..."

"But you two played with me. That's the first time someone did. So... will you play with me again?"

Iruma smiled and hid his unease about the situation. It wasn't Clara's fault after all.

"Sure."

Alice staggered to them.

"Let’s not. We’ll catch her stupidity."

"Azz-Azz, you alive again? Let’s play a demonathon!"

"H-How about we stop for today? Me and Azz-kun are tuckered out."

"Okay!"

The next day, the sun hadn’t even risen over the creaking spires of Babyls when the silence of the Sullivan mansion was shattered.

BZZZRRRAAAHHHH!!

A horrific, soul-wrenching screech erupted through Iruma’s room, a sound somewhere between a banshee’s wail and a thousand forks dragged across stone.

His demonic alarm clock, shaped like a mutated chick with glowing red eyes and twitching wings, bounced violently on his nightstand as it screamed bloody murder into the room.

Iruma bolted upright in bed with a gasp, his hair sticking in every direction.

"T-That's gonna give me a heart attack one day…" he wheezed, clutching at his chest.

Still trembling, he climbed out of bed and shuffled into his school uniform with half-lidded eyes, mind not quite awake as he fumbled with buttons and socks.

Downstairs, the usual morning chaos awaited him like a comforting ritual.

Sullivan was already at the front door, standing tall and proud in his usual get up.

The moment he saw Iruma descending the grand staircase, the old demon’s eyes began to shimmer with unshed tears.

"My precious grandson…" he whimpered, voice cracking. "He’s growing up so fast!"

Opera, standing dutifully beside him with a clipboard in one hand and a warm thermos in the other, gave Iruma a small nod of acknowledgment. Their feline tail flicked behind them in quiet approval.

“Don’t forget your lunch.”

Iruma grinned sheepishly as he took the bento, still trying to smooth down a stubborn cowlick.

“Thanks, Opera-san!”

"Have a good day!" Sullivan sobbed, now dramatically holding a lace handkerchief to his face, "Remember to smile, avoid any cursed potions, and sniff don’t let any allies burn the gardens again!"

“I'll try! See you later!”

Iruma called over his shoulder as he stepped outside, the cool morning breeze brushing against his face. The crisp air smelled faintly of brimstone and flowers.

Just another typical day in the Netherworld.

Behind him, Sullivan’s wails echoed faintly through the mansion halls, as Opera calmly sipped their tea and adjusted the picture of Iruma on the foyer wall by a millimeter.

The midday sun cast its rays on one corner of the burned garden(again), Valac Clara was once again in her element.

“Stack it! Stack it!” she chanted gleefully as she perched atop a precarious tower made of books, potion bottles, a broom, a skeleton arm, and someone’s backpack.

“Now, we add the rubber cockatrice!”

“Ack— don’t drop that on me again, Valac!” Alice cried out from below, ducking just in time.

Iruma sat cross-legged nearby, watching Clara with a warm smile as she descended from her tower with a somersault and launched into their next game, cards.

“No peeking!” she sang, holding the deck close to her face, eyes glittering with mischief.

Alice Asmodeus frowned, arms crossed, suspicious.

“Don’t be shy, Azz-Azz!” Clara teased, elbowing him playfully.

“I am not shy!” he snapped, cheeks pink as he looked away. “I am simply... respecting the rules of the game.”

Iruma couldn’t help it. He burst into laughter, clutching his sides as his companions bickered in front of him.

Clara suddenly shoved snacks into his hands.

“Here ya go! Mystery cola, spicy sugar pops, and a candy shaped like a goblin’s foot!”

She darted between her companions like a whirlwind, passing out drinks and sweets with wild abandon.

“Snack time is the best time!”

Iruma blinked at the offerings. His hands were full of oddly-shaped treats and brightly colored cans that fizzed despite being unopened.

He stared at them, a small crease forming between his brows.

'Is this really okay...?'

The thought drifted through his mind unbidden, like a soft cloud amid the noise.

Clara was generous, endlessly so.

But part of him wondered, was she doing it because she wanted to... or because she thought she had to?

Iruma’s eyes softened. He didn’t have the answer.

But Cale would.

He always did.

'I’ll ask him later.'

Iruma decided, tucking the worry into a corner of his heart as Clara yelled something about slime tag and Azz-Azz tried (and failed) to dodge a glitter bomb.

That night, when Iruma fell asleep, he found himself once again in the Black Castle.

Cale was resting sideways on a plush chair by a floating fireplace, still in his semi-fox form, tail swaying lazily.

“Hey, Cale-nii!”

Cale gave a tired but pleased smile, “So? How was your day this time?”

Iruma plopped down beside him with a dramatic sigh.

“Exhausting. I met a girl named Clara. She’s… like a firecracker with no off switch. But I think she’s lonely.”

Cale tilted his head slightly, then gestured for Iruma to come closer. Iruma leaned against him without hesitation.

“She’s a little like someone I used to know,” Iruma added quietly.

“She gives people stuff just to be liked. But… it’s not real, is it?”

Cale’s expression turned thoughtful, the firelight reflecting in his eyes.

“No,” he said at last, “Real bonds come from honesty. From choosing each other even when there’s nothing to gain. But she’ll learn. Especially if you stay by her side.”

Iruma nodded slowly. Then, grinning, he looked up.

“Oh! And Cale-nii, you’ll never believe what kind of games she made us play!”

He began to animatedly recount the strange “murder house” roleplay, Alice’s humiliation, the slippers with eyes, the card game, and Alice being covered in glitter again. Cale couldn’t help but laugh.

“You really attract weirdos, Iruma.”

“Hey!”

Cale ruffled his hair placatingly.

“Good weirdos, I mean.”

And for a while longer, in that dream realm between worlds, the two simply talked.

One with ears and a tail, the other with wide eyes and a heart too soft for his own good.

The academy halls were bright with chatter, students drifting between periods with trailing laughter and gossip.

Yet among the clamor, one person stood out—not because of anything flashy, but because of the genuine happiness on her face.

Valac Clara was smiling.

She practically skipped as she walked through the corridor, arms swinging, humming a silly tune under her breath.

Her mind spun with excitement.

Today, she would play with her two favourite demons again, Iruma-chi and Azz-Azz!

She had a new game in mind involving color-changing slime, and she'd even packed her pouch full of new snacks. Maybe she'd show off her plushie collection too, or even—

Her thoughts abruptly halted.

She had just turned the corner when she spotted a group of students gathered by the stairs.

At the center was Yocchan, his usual self-important smirk on full display, flanked by his laughing companions. Clara froze in place, heart skipping a beat as their words floated toward her.

“Man, that honor student has weird taste. He’s still hanging out with her?”

“Why would they bother with that stupid girl?”

“Duh, it's because she's convenient. Just put up with her once in a while and she'll use that power of hers for you. Easy. I bet the honor student will get tired of her soon.”

“You’re so clever, Yocchan! Hahaha!”

The laughter echoed, too loud and too familiar.

Clara didn’t move.

The corners of her mouth, once pulled into a bright smile, now drooped. Her fingers clenched at the hem of her skirt, crumpling the fabric in silence.

“I already knew that,” she whispered to herself.

But even saying it aloud didn't make the sting fade.

Elsewhere, Iruma sat alone on a bench tucked behind the courtyard hedge.

The sun was gentle above, filtered by the leaves as it dappled the ground in golden flecks.

He stared at the cloud-speckled sky, absently tapping his fingers on his knee.

Clara.

She’d been acting strangely for a few days now. More energetic, louder, more generous than usual (and considering this was Clara, that was saying something).

At first, he thought it was just her way of being...well, Clara. But something about the frantic way she’d been laughing lately tugged at his chest.

A rustle in the bushes snapped him out of his thoughts.

“BOO!”

“Waaah?!”

A blur of green hair and red tail exploded out of the foliage, landing in front of him like an overenthusiastic missile.

“Clara!”

“Clean hit!” she cheered, pumping her fists triumphantly. “You weren’t expecting that, huh, huh, huh?!”

Before Iruma could respond, Clara started pulling things out of her pouch like a magician on a sugar high.

“Hey! Know what? This is my favorite snack! And this is my favorite drink! And book! And even my favorite plushie, his name’s Googly! Here, take it all!”

She piled them onto his lap, barely giving him time to blink.

“I’ll give you whatever you want, Iruma-chi! So… So, uh…” Her smile trembled. “Will you play with me ag—”

“I-I don’t want them.”

Silence.

A long, thick, uncomfortable silence.

The tension tightened around them like a rope.

Clara stared at him, her smile twitching at the edges.

Then she laughed. Something too loud, a little too fast.

“Haha! This snack is super yummy! I have some drinks too! Oh, actually, this one’s—”

“I’m sorry,” Iruma said, quietly but firmly.

“...Huh?”

Clara’s heart-shaped tail drooped. Her open-mouth smile collapsed into a small, crumbling frown. She blinked once, twice. Then the tears started.

“I-it’s happening again,” she whispered, voice warbling. “It always happens! Everyone gets tired of me and won’t play with me anymore!”

“No! That’s not it!”

“You just said you didn’t want them!”

Iruma stood up quickly, his hands fumbling to reach for hers, but she pulled back.

“It’s no use!” she shouted, “I’m stupid, so I have to give people things so they’ll play with me! That’s how it works! I’m a nuisance otherwise! I know I am!”

Her voice broke, thick with desperation and rawness. She sounded like a child begging the world not to throw her away.

Iruma didn’t speak. He just gently took her hand in his. The left one, the one that had been trembling.

“Clara,” he said softly, locking eyes with her. “I still want to play with you. Even without those things.”

She froze.

“Huh?”

He smiled, slow and warm, like sunlight through window panes.

“Because we have a lot of fun playing with you. That’s all.”

Her eyes widened, “...Really?”

“Yeah. Really! You don’t have to give us anything. I mean, yeah, sometimes you go a bit overboard…” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “But I’m not that great at playing either. I think your kind of overboard is just right.”

She stared at him.

Then her face turned red. Visibly red.

“You mean it?” she squeaked.

“I do. So… will you play with me again?”

That was the moment Valac Clara exploded.

Not literally. But emotionally? Absolutely.

“YEAH!!!” she shouted, jumping into the air like a rocket.

“SOMEONE ASKED ME TO PLAY!!! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME!!! THE FIRST TIME!!! FIRST TIME EVER!!! AAAAH!!! IRUMA-CHI, WHAT SHOULD I DO?! WHAT SHOULD I DO?! I’M GONNA FREAK OUT!”

She laughed and rolled across the ground, smashing through bushes and knocking over a small tree in her joy.

Iruma chuckled, his chest lighter than it had been in days. He hadn’t known how much her smile meant to him until he saw it falter.

He remembered someone else, years ago, who had felt the same fear of being unwanted. Iruma. The one before he met Cale.

He understood Clara more than she knew.

Just then, voices approached.

“Hey, Clarin! We’re thirsty!” Yocchan drawled as he strutted over with his goons. “Could you get us some drinks again?”

Iruma’s smile vanished. He opened his mouth to speak, but Clara beat him to it—with a look he hadn’t seen on her before.

Mischief.

“Just watch,” she whispered with a wink.

She reached into her pouch... and pulled out an entire vending machine.

Before Yocchan could react, she hurled the hulking thing directly into his smug face.

“Drink all you want,” she chirped, hands on her hips. “Just give it money. Bye-bye!”

The trio ran screaming, Yocchan dazed and vending machine-wounded.

Iruma gawked.

“She definitely goes overboard,” he muttered in awe.

Clara turned back and shouted, “Did you see that?! I was great, right?!”

He gave her a thumbs-up, laughing. “You were amazing.”

Later that afternoon.

“As you commanded,” Alice Asmodeus reported with his usual elegance, “I made sure the lot bothering Valac swore never to approach her again.”

“Th-thanks, Azz-kun…” Iruma eyed him carefully. “You just talked to them, right?”

Alice gave an immaculate bow. “Of course. Extremely peacefully.”

Iruma’s gaze dropped to the burn marks on Alice’s white uniform. The ends of his coat were singed, still smoking faintly.

“I... see.”

Yeah.

He didn’t believe a word of it.

Before Alice could elaborate, a glob of green slime smacked him in the chest.

“Got a hit!” Clara cheered from behind a tree. “You get to be my canvas, Azz-Azz! ‘Cause you’re wearing all white!”

“Why you...!”

“Have some slime paint! Iruma-chi, you get blue!”

“I can’t. I’m terrible at throwing,” Iruma said, hesitating.

Still, he accepted the paint.

Alice’s jaw dropped.

“Iruma-sama?!”

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of laughter and gooey chaos, with Alice somehow becoming a modern art piece.

That night, Iruma sat on the couch in the dream castle, legs pulled up beneath him as he animatedly recounted the events of the day.

Clara’s vending machine throw. The slime war. Her expression when he told her he wanted to play with her.

Cale, listening quietly, gave him a slow glance. He arched a single brow.

“I don’t remember saying you should hold her hand,” Cale said, voice deceptively mild.

Iruma froze.

Then blushed.

“I—It was the emotional thing to do at the time!”

“Mm-hmm.”

“It wasn’t like that!”

“Of course not,” Cale drawled, clearly amused. “Just a very platonic hand-holding.”

Iruma sputtered while Cale turned back to his beauty sleep, lips twitching with mirth.

In the quiet hush of her room, Clara lay curled up in bed, hugging her pillow so tightly it nearly disappeared in her arms.

Her cheeks were still burning.

Not from embarrassment exactly… but from something warm and fluttery that wouldn’t leave her chest.

He said he wanted to play with me.

Her fingers gripped the fabric tighter.

Me. Not my things.

The words echoed in her mind again and again, looping like a lullaby.

They felt too big for her heart to hold, yet so soft they left no cracks, only warmth.

She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling, her legs lazily kicking beneath the covers. Her hair fanned out around her like a tangle of vines.

A small, bashful smile tugged at her lips, curling at the corners like a secret too precious to speak aloud.

He liked her. For her.

Her.

No one outside her family had ever said that before.

She blinked up at the ceiling for a long time, eyes wide, lost in thought, the rhythm of her heart still dancing to a tune only she could hear.

Outside her window, the night sky stretched on forever, but the stars twinkled a little more clearly tonight.

They seemed brighter somehow.

As if they, too, had heard Iruma’s words and wanted to share in her joy.

Clara smiled to herself again.

For the first time in a long while, she drifted to sleep without wondering how to be liked.

Because she already was.

Alice stood in front of his mirror, still dripping with slime.

His once-pristine white coat, tailored to perfection and enchanted against minor spills, was now a battlefield of colors.

Green, pink, electric blue, and suspicious neon yellow all clung to the fabric like stubborn curses.

He was... conflicted.

On one hand, his pride as an elite demon, the Asmodeus, was deeply offended.

How dare Clara turn him into a walking abstract painting?

What would Lord Delvaux think of him now?

On the other hand, he had never heard Iruma-sama laugh like that before, since they met at the entrance ceremony.

Alice stared at the mirror, green goo sliding down his cheek. He raised a single, trembling hand and wiped it away with a sigh.

“It was worth it,” he muttered to himself.

And it was.

Clara had been strange from the beginning. Loud, eccentric, borderline incomprehensible.

At first, Alice had not understood what Iruma-sama saw in her.

But over time, he began to notice the small things: the way Iruma relaxed around her, the way she could draw out his laughter with no effort at all, the way she always gave without expecting anything in return.

Even if she was painfully obnoxious.

She had looked genuinely devastated earlier. He had watched from a distance, not wanting to interfere.

But when Iruma-sama had taken her hand and spoken so gently, so clearly—

Alice’s hand clenched at his side.

Only one person said such things to me when I was younger.

He knew what it meant to be used for his power. To be seen only for his pedigree.

But Iruma-sama…

Iruma-sama always looked past that.

And Clara, though she was chaotic and far from refined, was someone who made Iruma-sama happy.

Which made her important.

And if anyone dared make her cry again…

Alice’s eyes burned faintly with pink fire.

He would “peacefully” remove them from existence.

Just like how Lord Delvaux taught him to.

Cale sat at his desk, the quill in his hand stilled above a partially signed contract.

His other hand absently twirled a mana crystal between his fingers, the cool surface grounding him.

He wasn’t looking at the paper anymore.

His gaze flicked up as he remembered Iruma gesturing wildly as he told the story of the slime battle and Clara’s epic vending machine throw.

Cale didn’t interrupt.

He watched.

It was... strange. Not in a bad way. Just unfamiliar.

Even after so many lives and near-deaths, after battling noble society and facing mad demons, there was still something that managed to catch him off guard.

How gentle Iruma was.

How much of himself Iruma gave to others without even noticing.

Cale can imagine the look on Clara’s face.

That desperate flicker of hope just before the world crushed it. She probably looked ready to fall apart, and somehow, this foolish kid who couldn't even throw a slimeball straight had pulled her back.

The way Iruma spoke about her now… fond, warm, proud.

It stirred something old in Cale's chest.

A memory, long buried.

“You’re not a tool. You’re not a weapon. You’re not your bloodline, your powers, your usefulness. You’re just you. And that’s enough.”

He had said that once to someone.

He didn’t think anyone had ever said it to him.

Cale set the quill down and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms.

Cale’s lips twitched when he asked Iruma why he held her hand. Just slightly.

Watching the boy sputter and turn red was satisfying.

A little too satisfying.

Maybe he was spending too much time around demons if he was starting to enjoy teasing people this much.

Still…

He’s growing. And he’s choosing the right things. Even if he doesn’t always understand them yet.

Cale’s expression softened, just a little.

Stay soft, Iruma. I’ll keep the monsters away while you do.

✧✧✧

✧

✧

✧

✧

CHAPTER END

Chapter Text

Iruma sat across from Sullivan at the breakfast table, toying with his fork before finally gathering the courage to speak.

"Uhm... Grandpa, can I ask you something?"

Sullivan looked up from his cup of Hell Gray tea, his eyes immediately twinkling with affection.

"Of course! Anything for my precious grandson!"

Iruma hesitated, fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve.

"I just noticed this, and well, you don’t have to answer me, but... why doesn’t Cale-nii live with you?"

"Cale-nii?" Sullivan echoed, then burst into fond laughter when Iruma scrambled to explain.

"I mean, since you said we’re cousins now, I just assumed…"

"Ahahaha! Don’t worry, I was just pleasantly surprised to hear you call him that. As for your question, well, Cale-kun has his own mansion, you see. I did try to convince him to live with me before, but that cute boy just ignored me. Though... I did manage to make him agree to stay here for at least one week every month."

Iruma’s eyes lit up with excitement.

"Oh, I see now."

'That means we get sleepovers!' he thought gleefully, cheeks warming at the prospect of more time with his lazy friend.

Just then, Opera stepped into the room, calm and composed as always.

"Young Master Iruma, there are visitors waiting for you at the front gates."

Iruma blinked in surprise, abandoning his half-eaten meal.

"Visitors? Who could it be?"

Outside the Sullivan mansion gates stood two familiar figures. Asmodeus Alice, perfectly poised with arms crossed, and Clara Valac, bouncing on her feet with her usual erratic energy.

"Morning, Iruma-chi!" Clara called out, waving both arms above her head.

"Good morning, Iruma-sama," Alice said with a dignified bow.

Sullivan, who had followed Iruma outside, beamed with pride.

"Oh, how nice, Iruma-kun. You've made two friends!"

"Huh?! Er, actually, we’re not sure if we’d call them friends. We just sort of play together and talk..."

Sullivan tilted his head. "I thought that was what you call 'friends' in the human world. Was I wrong?"

Iruma rubbed the back of his neck, flustered.

"B-But... we have no idea how they feel. And well, I never asked them..."

"Then why not try asking?" Sullivan suggested gently, his voice laced with encouragement.

Iruma hummed in response.

The group then left amidst Sullivan's cheerful farewell, with Sullivan’s words echoing in Iruma's mind.

He wouldn’t mind being friends with the two.

After all, he and Cale were friends too.

Cale always encouraged him to trust his instincts. And right now, his instincts told him he could trust them.

'Yosh! I'll ask them later!'

On the way to school, Iruma noticed Alice glancing back toward the mansion. Curious, he tilted his head.

"Azz-kun, what are you looking at?"

Alice jumped slightly, caught off guard. A faint blush rose to his cheeks.

"Ah... the reason is rather undignified of me, Iruma-sama. I wouldn’t dare delay you."

"Hm? We’re already walking anyway. We could just talk about it. We won’t judge you, right Clara?"

"Yeah! Like Iruma-chi said!" Clara chirped.

Alice sighed, glancing back one last time before speaking.

"I was trying to see if Lord Delvaux is within the residence."

"Candy?" Clara blinked.

"No, you fool!"

Iruma giggled at Clara's words before turning his attention to the pinkette.

"Ah, Cale-nii? You were talking about him?"

"Cale-nii?" both Alice and Clara echoed in confusion.

Iruma smiled sheepishly.

"I haven’t told you, have I? Cale-nii and I are cousins."

"I suspected such a relationship since the Headmaster’s announcement at the entrance ceremony, but to finally have confirmation! Indeed, I suppose my defeat during the entrance exam was truly inevitable," Alice dramatically gasped.

"Mochi?"

"Uh huh," Iruma nodded. "And Cale-nii lives separately from us. He has his own mansion."

Alice looked visibly disappointed, "I suppose that makes sense... he hasn’t been seen in public for a few years now..."

Iruma didn’t respond. He had a hunch why, but he wouldn’t voice it.

"Who are you talking about?" Clara asked.

Alice looked scandalized, and whirled his head towards the demoness.

"What?! You don’t know Lord Cale Delvaux?! The Fox Prince? The Delvaux Head? The prodigy that will never be seen again?! Seriously?!?"

"Nope!" Clara chirped cheerfully, finding amusement in the increasing rant of Alice.

"I knew you were a country bumpkin, but this is taking it too far!"

"Hey!"

Iruma laughed at their bickering.

Yep, he’d definitely ask them to be his friends later.

The walk to school was noisy, mostly thanks to Clara climbing trees and Alice scolding her like a flustered chaperone.

Iruma just laughed and kept walking, his heart lighter than yesterday.

Upon reaching Babyls, the trio decided to visit the cafeteria.

Since there weren’t any schedule for the day, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.

The menu was vast and bizarre.

Iruma stared at the unrecognizable dishes, blinking in confusion. One section caught his eye — a symbol etched into the corner.

"What’s that?" he asked, pointing.

"That’s a ranking crest," Alice explained. "Your performance at Babyls is ranked, and the food you can order depends on your rank. We haven’t been ranked yet, so..."

He pointed to the smallest, most pathetic section of the menu.

"That’s all we can order."

Iruma pouted. That section was tiny!

"Also, school lunches are free," Alice added. "But you can buy other items at the school store."

Iruma had no idea what to pick, Netherworld's food still confuses him.

“Azz-kun,” he turned to his eager companion, “Could you maybe… choose for me?”

“Of course, Iruma-sama!” Alice beamed with pride, one hand to his chest.

“I shall select a variety of nourishing and flavor-balanced dishes worthy of your palate. Please, sit and wait for me!”

Iruma gave a small nod and found a seat near the corner of the room.

He looked around for Clara but she had already vanished the moment they’d stepped inside, probably chasing after something shiny.

Or edible.

Or both.

Alice returned moments later, panting slightly, and held a tray in his arms.

“My sincerest apologies, Iruma-sama. I had trouble narrowing down the options…”

However, Alice almost dropped the tray as a mountain of food was deposited in front of Iruma.

"What in the Netherworld is all this?!" Alice demanded, whipping toward the kitchen counter.

A burly demon chef emerged with crossed arms and a scowl.

“Some idiot ordered a hundred servings. Guess this is the table.”

“A hundred?!” Alice’s eyes scanned the cafeteria. Sure enough, a group of smirking students were snickering behind their hands.

“A lowly prank…” Alice muttered, seething. “Iruma-sama, please permit me to annihilate—!”

He stopped.

Iruma was already eating.

Not nervously.

Not hesitantly.

But confidently with forks in both hands, a glimmer of joy in his eyes as he demolished bite after bite.

One serving.

Two. Ten.

Then twenty.

Alice could only watch in stunned silence as Iruma polished off plate after plate with polite determination.

It was… impressive.

“He’s eating so much…” 

“That’s gotta be fifty servings!”

“But he’s so tiny…”

“That's adorable!”

“Just as expected from Lord Delvaux’s relative!”

Iruma’s name was being whispered across the room. Students peeked from their tables, drawn by the sound of clattering plates and the surreal sight of a baby-faced demon calmly out-eating every glutton in sight.

Iruma shifted awkwardly, cheeks puffed with Netherworld's version of mochi. His gaze darted between the empty plates and Alice’s expression of pure awe.

“S-Should I spit it back out…?”

“No! That’s not—” Alice recomposed himself, coughing into his hand.

“You eat quite a lot, I see.”

Iruma swallowed hard. “You think so?”

He reached for more.

The chef behind the counter collapsed dramatically from exhaustion after Iruma shamelessly ordered for more.

"That honor student is terrifying…” a student whispered.

Alice beamed with pride.

Then, just as the noise began to settle, a new commotion burst from the entrance of the cafeteria.

“Take this with you!”

A short, grumpy demon with a bamboo spear marched in, dragging Clara by the collar of her shirt. She was giggling wildly, completely unbothered.

“W-What in the world?!” Iruma blinked.

“He played with me!” Clara shouted, wriggling excitedly. “Every time I come to the school store, he plays!”

“Not play. Threaten,” the shopkeeper barked, glaring at her.

“Her bloodline magic replicates anything she sees. That’s stealing! She dangerous. I punish shoplifters. With bamboo!”

“That’s way too violent!” Iruma yelped as the spear was jabbed toward them.

It was at that moment.

“Silence.”

The crowd hurriedly parted as a tall figure with his infamous scowl stormed into the room.

Naberius Kalego had returned to work.

“Honestly,” he muttered, eyes narrowing and brows scrunched up.

“I leave for a few days and this school turns into a circus—”

Then his eyes met Iruma.

He froze.

“You—!” he growled.

Iruma stood up immediately, bowing his head.

“Are you feeling better, Kalego-sensei?”

“You’re the last person I want worrying about me!” he snapped. “And as for that day—don’t speak of it!”

Iruma shrank nervously as the sheer spite oozing from the older demon.

“Understood, sir.”

“I will never be your familiar,” Kalego continued, voice rising. “Don't let it get to your head just because you restrained me once!”

Then he turned.

“What’s this mess about?”

Clara hopped in front of him, unfazed.

“Hi! I’m Clara! I blew up the school store, but Azz-Azz gave me snacks! Do you like chocolate, Eggie-sensei?! Here, have some!”

Before he could react, she shoved a fistful of melting sweets into his coat pocket.

Kalego twitched.

Loud.

Disruptive.

Inconsiderate.

She was exactly the type of student he loathed.

“I’m going home.”

“Nooo, wait!” Clara grabbed his sleeve. “Is it true you’re Iruma-chi’s familiar? I wanna see! I wanna see! Iruma-chi, show me! Here!”

“Huh? Uh…” Iruma held up a glowing sticker Clara had slapped into his hand. “You mean… this?”

“Stick it on and raise your hands!” Clara cheered.

Kalego’s eyes widened in horror. “No, wait. DON’T—”

But it was too late.

Poof.

A small, fluffy chick with Kalego’s signature glare, tuff, and furious energy fluttered above Clara’s head.

"I TOLD YOU TO STOP!" he chirped furiously, circling like a demon pigeon. "Damn it! You fool!"

“It’s sooo cute!!” Clara squealed, spinning. “Eggie-sensei!”

“The sticker… it was a summoning sticker,” Alice said in quiet horror. “And a cheap one. 333 bills…”

“Hey!” Kalego shouted, “Clap your hands! It’ll cancel the summon!”

“You want me to… clap a rhythm?” Iruma asked, confused.

“NO, YOU FOOL—”

Before Iruma could react, the bamboo shopkeeper lunged forward again.

“Punish. Shoplifting!”

The spear stabbed into the air beside Iruma’s ear and chaos erupted.

The group ran from the cafeteria in a mess of flying food, dropped trays, and Clara's delighted laughter.

In their panic, they forgot something crucial.

Kalego.

The tiny chick hovered alone in the air, fuming.

“HEY! Undo the summoning first!”

The bamboo spear swept again—

SWOOSH!

And a net engulfed Kalego mid-flight.

Kalego flapped helplessly against the net.

The shopkeeper squinted at his catch.

“Pay me.”

Kalego’s eye twitched. 

And then, with all the dignity a demon chick could muster, he exploded with rage.

“When I return to my true form, I’m burning this place to the ground,” he seethed.

This day could not get any worse for him.

✧✧✧

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CHAPTER END

Chapter Text

After the chaos of the cafeteria, the trio had fled outside, gasping for air like fugitives who’d barely escaped a battlefield.

The sky above Babyls was streaked with hues of violet and gold, a soft twilight rolling in, casting long shadows over the grassy lawn behind the school building.

Iruma collapsed backward with a dramatic wheeze, flopping into the grass like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

“Th-that was so scary!” he panted, eyes wide, chest heaving.

Beside him, Alice delicately brushed imaginary dirt from his sleeve and adjusted his tie, but even he was out of breath, his meticulously styled hair slightly tousled.

“That shopkeeper had a terrifying aura. Truly befitting of Babyls,” he muttered, looking slightly shaken for once.

Before Iruma could answer, a shadow loomed over them. Clara was in her usual whirlwind mode, bouncing on the balls of her feet like nothing had happened.

“Hey, hey! Let’s have ice cream!” she chirped, suddenly holding out three slightly battered cones with a grin far too wide to be safe.

“These were on the ground, so I picked them up!”

Iruma sat up so fast he nearly choked on his own breath.

“W-Wait, what do you mean they were on the ground?! Clara—!”

“I made sure they weren’t too melty!” Clara said proudly, pressing one cone into each of their hands before spinning in a circle.

“Yay! There’s three! Let’s cheers!”

“To what, exactly?” Alice asked dryly, having given up.

“To being in the same class!” Clara beamed, anticipation palpable in yer voice.

“Let’s hope all three of us get to stick together forever and ever and ever!”

Iruma blinked, then laughed softly.

“They’re announcing the class placements tomorrow, right?”

“It is unthinkable that you and I would be separated, Iruma-sama,” Alice declared seriously, puffing his chest like a proud knight. 

“Yeah, me too, me too!” Clara cried, hanging off Iruma’s back like a sloth.

Iruma smiled, warmth swelling in his chest.

These two… they were ridiculous, energetic, dramatic, but genuine.

Completely and utterly genuine.

It was still hard to believe that these kinds of bonds were possible in a world as dangerous and unpredictable as this one.

He wasn’t sure why, but the warm sun, the half-melted ice cream, and the chaotic, cheerful energy of his new companions made his chest ache in a good way.

A gentle sort of ache. A… peaceful ache.

He glanced at both of them. Clara was stuffing her mouth with ice cream in a way that defied physics. Alice was carefully eating his as expected of a noble person.

And both of them were here.

Sitting with him.

Like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Iruma took a breath, mentally preparing himself to finally ask the question that have been in his mind since he left for school earlier.

“Um… c-can I ask something?”

Alice and Clara looked at him in unison.

“Can I… call you two my friends?”

Iruma hesitated when they didn't answer, looking down at his knees. Had he said something wrong? His heart began to sink. He’d said it without thinking, without even checking if that word meant the same thing here.

His shoulders tensed, as negative thoughts continued to plague his mind at their continued silence.

He closed his eyes, waiting for the awkward silence. Or worse, laughter.

But none came.

When he he looked back up, both Alice and Clara were staring at him. Not with anger or rejection… but wide-eyed confusion.

“...What?”

“Iruma-sama,” Alice said carefully, “What is this… 'friend' you speak of?”

“Are they like mochi?” Clara asked, her face dead serious.

Iruma nearly fell over at the lost tension.

“Wait. You don’t know?”

They both shook their heads, expressions serious. Alice even looked slightly ashamed.

“Embarrassingly… no,” he admitted.

“Are they ooey-gooey?” Clara asked again. “Like mochi mochi mochis?”

Iruma's mouth opened, then closed. He stared blankly at them for a full ten seconds.

This… was not what he expected.

But then again, this was the Netherworld. He had forgotten.

Of course he had forgotten. This wasn’t Earth. Demons didn’t use the word “friend” lightly, if they used it at all.

And yet, Cale had accepted it so easily.

Like he already understood.

Cale had casually accepted the term ‘friend’, no confusion, no hesitation. Just a warm, unreadable smile. 

“Wait…” Iruma mumbled aloud, “Cale-nii didn’t act confused…”

'Maybe… maybe Cale really was different from other demons after all.'

Alice looked shocked, he clearly didn't expect for that name to be suddenly uttered.

“L-Lord Delvaux?!”

Clara clapped her hands, having remembered their conversation this morning.

“Ooooh! I remember him! He had such pretty hair! And he was super strong and shiny!”

In an attempt to calm himself, Alice coughed into his hand. It wasn't befitting of his station to react so.

“That… is one way to describe him.”

The tension broke a little.

Iruma straightened up and cleared his throat.

“Okay, listen. A ‘friend’ is someone you like being around. You eat together, laugh together, support each other. You’d do anything to protect their happiness. They’re… really important to you.”

Alice blinked slowly, seemingly absorbing the words Iruma uttered. Meanwhile, Clara squinted like she was trying to picture it.

And then suddenly.

“Then I’m your Number One Friend!” Clara beamed, throwing both arms around Iruma in a dramatic hug.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Alice snapped. “Clearly I’m his number one!”

“I’ll be the special great number one!” Clara yelled, clinging tighter.

“You can’t just make that up!”

Their shouting match erupted full-force again, but Iruma only laughed. It wasn’t the awkward chuckle he used to hide his nerves. It was warm, bubbling, and bright.

“You’re both my Number One Friends!” he said brightly.

“…Eh?”

“But,” Iruma added with a sheepish grin, “there’s someone else who shares that title too.”

That completely stopped them both in their tracks.

“H-Huh?”

Asmodeus narrowed his eyes. Clara leaned in suspiciously.

“Who?!”

“Iruma-sama,” Asmodeus said, voice careful, “Forgive me, but… may I ask who this person is?”

Iruma’s eyes lit up like the morning sun, his entire face glowing with affection.

“My cousin, Cale-nii!”

“Y-You mean Lord Delvaux…?” Alice choked on air.

Iruma laughed, finding their reactions funny.

“Yup! That’s him! He loves sweet stuff. And he’s the one who taught me what friendship really means.”

Asmodeus stared at him, face in silent awe. Clara giggled and flung her arms around Iruma again.

“You really like your Cale-nii, huh, Iruma-chi?”

“Mhm. He’s my mentor. My first friend. My family. He… helped me a lot, ” Iruma’s voice grew quieter. “Especially at night, when things were hardest. I don’t think I’d be here if it weren’t for him.”

He didn’t say more. Didn’t talk about the years of silent neglect, the forced obedience, or the way his name used to be barked more like a command than a calling.

But the memory of Cale brushing his hair, humming a tune, letting him sleep in his lap when nightmares got too bad…

That warmth stayed with him even now.

“Cale-nii gave me a reason to keep going,” Iruma whispered. “He’s the kindest person I know.”

Clara’s eyes sparkled, eagerly patting Iruma on the head. “He sounds like mochi! A shiny, protective mochi!”

Alice, uncharacteristically quiet, nodded once.

“...Then I owe him my gratitude. For helping shape the Iruma-sama I admire today.”

Iruma’s eyes widened. Then he smiled again, softer this time.

“Thanks.”

For a while, a warm atmosphere enveloped the three.

However, after a few minutes, Alice coughed politely.

“Iruma-sama… would you perhaps consider telling us more? About Lord Delvaux?”

“Only if you want to!” Clara piped in. “We’re just super curious!”

Iruma paused, tapping his lip with a finger.

“Hmm… I guess it’s okay to share a bit?”

They both leaned in, faces expectant.

Iruma’s voice dropped slightly as he looked toward the horizon.

“We met when we were both nine. He was cold at first. Really smart and always calm. But under that, he was kind. Patient. He taught me how to live, how to defend myself, how to… believe in myself.”

A soft breeze rustled the grass as Iruma continued.

“He was there for me at night, when I was scared. He listened. And even when I didn’t say anything, he knew.”

His voice grew quieter.

“I miss him.”

Silence again, the kind of silence that says more than words ever could.

Asmodeus’s eyes softened. Clara gently patted Iruma’s back, humming a little tune.

And then suddenly, Clara cheerfully broke the silence again.

“…We’re totally gonna meet him someday, right?!”

“Huh?”

“I wanna play with him! Let’s bring him mochi!”

Asmodeus adjusted his cravat

“Indeed. If he is important to Iruma-sama, then all the more reason to.”

Iruma’s heart fluttered.

So this was what Cale meant about having friends.

As the sky darkened toward evening and the warmth of the day began to wane, Iruma leaned back on the grass, his two new friends bickering again beside him.

This world was strange.

So very strange.

But maybe… just maybe… school life wouldn’t be so bad.

Not with friends like this.

And especially not with Cale arriving soon.

He couldn’t wait for that day.

Later, guilt gnawed at Iruma’s stomach as they remembered the chaos they had left behind in the cafeteria.

The three returned to the store to apologize and pay for the summoning stickers and the trampled ice cream.

The shopkeeper blinked in surprise as they bowed deeply.

“We’re really sorry!” Iruma said. “We’ll pay for the stickers and the ice cream!”

“Hmph,” the shopkeeper muttered, scratching his chin.

“Fine. Just don’t pull that kind of stunt again. I didn’t even get to finish my roast chick. I swear, I’ve had the worst luck today…”

Iruma stiffened, a bad premonition dawning on him.

“Roast… chick?”

“Yeah. Weirdest thing. It turned into a demon halfway through and ran off screaming. So close…”

Iruma froze in dread, Alice’s eye twitched, and Clara gasped, eyes wide at the shopkeeper as she whispered to the two.

“He tried to eat Eggie-sensei?!”

Iruma sweatdropped, guilt churning in his stomach.

“Oh no… I need to apologize to him too...”

'Kalego-sensei, I’m so, so sorry.'

The late afternoon sun filtered lazily through the stained-glass windows of the Headmaster’s office, casting jewel-toned patterns across the long obsidian table where the faculty of Babyls had gathered.

The air was faintly scented with incense and old parchment, a tea set steamed quietly near the corner, untouched and forgotten in the heat of the ongoing discussion.

Headmaster Sullivan, seated grandly at the end of the table with his white mustache curling slightly upward in amusement, glanced down at the profiles before him.

His ever-cheerful face wore a rare expression of calm authority, and even the rowdiest professors, like Buer-sensei, who had just finished an impassioned speech about classroom budgets, had fallen respectfully silent.

Every instructor present sat straight-backed, their attention focused.

Every instructor… except one.

There was a conspicuous empty seat near the end of the table.

Its occupant, Naberius Kalego, was nowhere to be seen.

“Still absent,” one teacher muttered.

“Can you blame him?” croaked a scratchy old voice from the far corner, but he didn't continue further.

The room shifted uncomfortably, for the cause of the absence is the grandchildren of the owner of the office they are in.

Sullivan cleared his throat, though a smile tugged at his lips.

“Kalego-kun is excused,” he said mildly. “He is… handling a rather personal matter.”

However, there was a subtle twinkle in his eyes.

No one dared ask what.

With a flourish of his sleeves, Sullivan stood.

“Now then! If there are no further objections…”

He gestured toward the table, where four pristine student profiles had been laid. Their golden trims glinted beneath the flickering candlelight.

Handwritten notes scrawled across each one. Their previous records, aptitude scores, placement assessments, and of course… personality classifications.

Valac Clara

Energy: explosive.

Logic: nonexistent.

Potential: unpredictable.

A small drawing of a sock puppet was doodled in the margin.

Asmodeus Alice

First Year Representative

Magic score: exceptional.

Loyalty: obsessive.

A warning note was underlined.

Do NOT let him duel inside school premises.

Suzuki Iruma

 

Honor Student

Manners: exemplary.

Personality: seemingly a role model student, but has caused various ruckus since enrollment.

There were far more question marks than seemed appropriate for an official document.

And finally.

Delvaux Cale

 

Honor Student 

Magic: graduate-level

Combat: exemplary

Someone had written “??? terrifying but polite” in the comments section. Another had simply scrawled DO NOT PROVOKE in crimson ink.

Sullivan chuckled softly to himself.

“These four… quite the unique batch, aren’t they?”

He reached for a carved ceremonial stamp, the one used only when designating extraordinary student placements. Its handle was shaped like a tiny demon holding a scroll in its mouth.

The headmaster raised it high. The entire room held its breath.

“And so, as per the final decision of this faculty meeting—”

Thump!

He stamped the first profile: Clara.

Thump!

Then Alice.

Thump!

Iruma.

A short pause followed.

Sullivan’s hand hovered above the last one, Cale Delvaux’s sheet. For a brief moment, the candle flames around the room flickered oddly, as if the very air recoiled from the weight of that name.

A few professors shifted in their seats.

“Is it wise… to place him there?” murmured one of the older teachers. “He’s already above second-year level in magical theory. And his aura is, well…”

“Delightfully spine-chilling,” Sullivan supplied helpfully.

The teacher cleared his throat. “...Yes, that.”

Sullivan smiled fondly, “He requested to stay close to his cousin.”

That quieted everyone.

He stamped the page without further ceremony.

Thump!

“Delvaux Cale… will also join the Misfit Class.”

There was silence.

Sullivan folded his hands behind his back and beamed at the faculty.

“Let’s nurture them well, shall we?”

Someone coughed.

Buer rubbed his temples, “That class is going to destroy the school.”

“Yes,” Sullivan agreed cheerfully. “Isn’t it wonderful?”

✧✧✧

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CHAPTER END

Chapter Text

The Netherworld's sky shimmered with faint purple hues as night crept in.

Far above the Netherworld, the two crescent moons hung low, casting soft, silvery light over the demon world.

And in his room, Suzuki Iruma dozed off with the weight of the day slowly slipping away from his shoulders.

As he drifted into sleep, a familiar warmth enveloped him.

When Iruma opened his eyes again, he was no longer in his bed.

Instead, he stood beneath the towering spires of the Black Castle, the dream realm that tethered him to Cale.

The air here always felt different, like time slowed down, like everything understood him a little more than it should.

It was surreal and welcoming all at once.

Cale was already there.

Leaning against a dark stone pillar, arms crossed, crimson hair gleaming faintly under the hanging lanterns, the red-headed boy turned his head at Iruma’s arrival. That usual mix of cool detachment and quiet fondness was etched into his expression.

“You’re late,” Cale said lazily.

“I tripped over a pillow in my dream hallway,” Iruma replied with a huff, dusting himself off with exaggerated offense.

“Dream architecture has no chill.”

Cale snorted, amused at his sass.

“That’s the Netherworld for you."

Iruma walked up, still smiling, his nerves settling just by being near Cale again.

They walked inside and settled on the lounge.

And then, with a sheepish laugh, Iruma launched into the retelling of his chaotic day, especially the now infamous incident in the cafeteria.

“…So, in a panic, I summoned Kalego-sensei! Right into the middle of the cafeteria!”

Iruma waved his arms around to reenact the moment.

“And, uh… we kinda… left him there. Alone.”

Cale blinked once.

Then again.

“You’re telling me,” he said slowly, “you summoned Naberius Kalego… and left him to fend for himself? In a cafeteria full of rowdy demons?”

Iruma winced, a guilty expression on his face.

“Kinda, yeah?”

For a second, silence reigned.

Then, Cale turned his head slightly. His hand rose to cover his mouth as his shoulders began to shake.

Iruma blinked, dumbfounded at the rare sight.

“Wait. Are you— are you laughing?”

“No,” came the muffled and unconvincing response.

“You’re definitely laughing.”

“I am composed. As always,” Cale insisted, now visibly trembling with suppressed amusement.

However, he only took five before he broke.

“Pfft—HAHAHA!”

Cale doubled over, laughter echoing through the room. He had to steady himself against the couch, eyes glinting with delight.

“Naberius Kalego, of all demons!” he wheezed, “Summoned like some house cat and abandoned in a warzone of first-years! AHAHA— No wonder he looked like he wanted to vaporize the next person he saw when I met him earlier!”

Iruma’s jaw dropped, the previous awed expression turning to shock.

“Wait— you met Sensei too?”

Cale straightened up, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.

“He was the one who conducted my familiar summoning.”

“Oh!” Iruma gasped, his eyes wide with excitement. “You have a familiar now too?! That’s so cool! What is it?”

Cale smirked, playing it coy. A sly expression on his face befitting of his race.

“You’ll find out soon.”

“Awwww,” Iruma pouted, bouncing slightly on his seat. “I wanna know now!”

“Patience, Iru,” Cale teased, waving a hand. “It’ll be worth the wait.”

With a huff, Iruma crossed his arms, but the sulk didn’t last long.

He perked back up, sharing more of his day, how Clara and Asmodeus picked him up, how they were weird, intense, and in Clara’s case, extremely energetic, but how both had agreed to be his friends.

“They actually said yes,” Iruma said, half in awe. “I think… I think I’m lucky to have them.”

Cale looked at him for a moment, then said simply, “Anyone would be lucky to have you as a friend.”

Iruma’s cheeks flushed, obviously embarrassed. He started figgeting his fingers as he murmured.

“You always say that.”

“And I’ll keep saying it,” Cale replied firmly. “Because I’m right.”

Iruma’s voice softened and he turned his head to look at Cale.

“I’m glad you’re my friend too, Cale-nii.”

However, Cale only raised a brow and shook his head. What come out of his mouth next shook Iruma to his core.

“I’m not your friend.”

“Eh?!?” Iruma jolted, clearly blindsided. He didn't whether to laugh or cry.

Then Cale’s expression melted into something tender.

“I’m your family, Iru. Have you already forgotten that?”

Iruma blinked once, then twice. His lips trembled as warmth bloomed in his chest.

He looked down at his hands, then up at Cale again, his Cale-nii.

Steady, warm, teasing, and always there when he closed his eyes.

“No,” he whispered. “I haven’t forgotten.”

Cale smiled and turned his gaze towards the large windows. Iruma followed his gaze, and the two sat quietly together beneath the gentle shimmer of stars in the magical nightscape.

The dream lingered longer than usual tonight, as if the Black Castle itself knew they needed the time.

And when morning came.

Iruma woke up with sunlight spilling across his face, the sheets twisted around him. But despite the early hour, he couldn’t stop the grin on his face. His chest still carried the echo of Cale’s words and of laughter shared in dreams.

Family.

Even if they couldn’t be together during the day, they always had the night.

And that was more than enough.

And now, he had the opportunity to meet him in this world.

Light filtered through the tall, arched windows of the mansion dining room, catching on the silverware and casting long streaks of warm glow across the dark wood table. A gentle hum of clinking china and the aroma of toasted brimstone bread and Hell Grey tea filled the air.

Iruma looked small in the oversized chair, swinging his legs absently as he brought a forkful of food to his mouth.

Breakfast in the Netherworld always had a surreal charm, an odd balance of elegance and absurdity, but he was used to it by now.

Opera, composed and graceful as ever, silently approached with the tea kettle in hand and poured him another cup.

“Thank you, Opera-san,” Iruma said with a smile, cradling the steaming mug.

Across the table, Lord Sullivan, his ever-doting grandfather and likely one of the most powerful demon in the Netherworld, suddenly straightened up with a loud clap, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Iruma-kun! Exciting news! Today’s the big day, we’re announcing class assignments! And guess what? I arranged something extra special for you!”

Iruma blinked at the sudden announcement. A confused look forming on his face.

“Special…?”

Sullivan grinned proudly, puffing out his chest. Clearly looking for praise.

“You said you didn’t want to stand out, right? So Grandpa made sure your new class suits you perfectly!”

Iruma’s brows furrowed, touched and still a bit confused.

“Th-Thank you for going to so much trouble for me…”

“Oh, think nothing of it!” Sullivan waved a hand with exaggerated flair, as though such meddling was an act of love, because to him, it was.

Then his face lit up with a sudden ‘aha!’ expression.

“Ah! That’s right, I nearly forgot! Cale-kun, Asmodeus-kun, and Valac-kun will be joining you in class too!”

At that, Iruma nearly dropped his fork.

“R-Really?! All three of them?!”

Sullivan gave a theatrical nod, eyes twinkling in mischief.

“You looked like you really wanted to be with your friends and Cale-kun, so I pulled a few strings~! Cale-kun even helped out by… let’s say, ‘distracting’ someone while I filed the request.”

“D-Distracting?” Iruma repeated, eyes wide and alarmed.

Just what did the two do?

“Nothing you need to worry about~” Sullivan said, a singsong lilt in his voice.

'That doesn't seem nothing, Grandpa!'

Just then, a familiar chorus of voices echoed outside.

“Iruuuuumaaaaa-chiiiiii! Azz-Azz! Hurry up! You're too slow!”

"Calm down, Valac! Do not disturb Iruma-sama already!"

Iruma turned to the sound, instantly recognizing the lively voices of Clara and Alice. He bolted upright, grabbing his bag.

“They’re here! I’ll see you later, Grandpa! Thanks again!”

Sullivan waved from his seat, calling out as Iruma hurried to the door, Opera gracefully at his side.

“Oh, one more thing, your new class is called the Misfit Class!”

“The Misfit Class?”

Iruma paused mid-step, taking a look over his shoulder at Sullivan. Somehow, he had a bad feeling about what kind of 'special class' his grandfather put them in.

However, only a cryptic reply was given to him.

“You’ll see when you get to school~”

Iruma was about to ask for more when Opera gently but firmly ushered him out before he could even open his mouth.

The walk to school was always a pleasant one.

The Netherworld’s version of morning was tinted a cool lavender, the sky dim and starless, but the air crisp with anticipation.

Iruma walked between Alice and Clara, Clara skipping ahead in erratic zigzags, occasionally tripping over her own feet and laughing like a maniac.

Alice strolled beside Iruma, calm and graceful, a contrast to Clara’s chaos.

“I found out who our classmates are,” Iruma said with a smile, watching Clara dart ahead to chase a glowing butterfly.

“Really?” Alice turned, curiousity evident in his eyes.

Iruma nodded cheerfully in response.

“We’re in the same class. You, me, and Clara."

Alice stopped walking altogether.

“I… I’m in the same class as you, Iruma-sama?”

He looked like a spell had been cast on him. His pale pink eyes shimmered with joy, and he clenched a hand to his chest.

“That makes me so happy…!”

Iruma scratched the back of his head as he laughed bashfully.

“Yeah! It’s called the Misfit Class though. I wonder why it has such a name… I hope nothing bad happens.”

“Iruma-sama,” Alice said reverently, “as long as I’m in the same class as you, the name doesn’t matter. I’ll gladly take on any title.”

Iruma's eyes widened. Alice is right, no matter where they are, as long as they as together, then everything is alright.

“Me too!” Iruma finally said with a chuckle.

They continued walking in step. Then, after a thoughtful pause, Alice tilted his head.

“Come to think of it… why do you always walk to school, Iruma-sama?”

“Huh?” Iruma blinked at the sudden question, before fumbling for an answer.

“Um… well— uh… So you and Clara can fly?”

“Of course, all demons do.”

'Eek! Did he find out I'm human?!?'

Alice stared at him, then gasped as if a sudden revelation struck him.

“I see! It must be your secret training, you're trying to strengthen your legs, aren’t you?! Admirable! That must be it!”

“Huh?! Uh… y-yeah! That’s it!” Iruma laughed, sweat beading at his temple.

'Thank goodness. He didn’t figure it out.'

Then a second later, it was Iruma’s turn for his eyes to widen as he remembered something important.

“Oh! Cale-nii’s going to be in our class too!”

Alice then promptly froze mid-stride like a statue.

“L-Lord Delvaux…?”

“Uh-huh!”

“Our classmate…?”

“Yup!”

Iruma answered cheerfully, whilst popping the 'p'.

The color drained from Alice’s face.

Iruma laughed and gave him a gentle push on the back to help him start moving again.

“You okay, Azz-kun?”

Alice mumbled something incoherent in reply.

Babyls Academy loomed ahead, its dark spires jutting into the sky like crooked teeth.

The three joined the crowd gathering near the main bulletin board, where glowing lists of class rosters hovered just above the stone wall.

The Misfit Class list was impossible to miss.

The sign above it gleamed in brilliant gold and crimson, sparking and pulsing with energy. It practically shouted “LOOK AT ME!” to the entire school.

‘W-Wait… This is supposed to be low-profile?!’

Iruma panicked. This is not what he signed up for.

Each student name was inscribed in ornate calligraphy, but one spot at the top of the list was shrouded, covered entirely by a magical shimmer of gold ink, concealing the name from sight. A cursory glance at the whole list made Iruma guess something.

'...is that where Cale-nii's name supposed to be?'

And apparently, he wasn't the only one who had that thought.

Alice narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, eyeing the ink.

“That one’s been deliberately hidden.”

“Huh?”

Iruma looked at the golden patch again. Indeed, there's a magical shimmer on it.

Alice folded his arms with his chin held and a thoughtful look on his face.

“Probably to prevent a stampede of curious demons trying to sneak a peek. It'll last a day, the faculty sure is meticulous. As expected of Babyls.”

“I see…” Iruma muttered.

‘This must be Grandpa’s doing. Again.’

Iruma isn't even surprised anymore.

Before they could dwell on it, Clara flung herself onto Iruma’s back with glee.

“Iru~ma-chi! Azz-Azz! We’re classmates!”

“Iruma-sama told us earlier, Valac.” Alice said calmly, looking at her without a frown for once.

“Though your enthusiasm is… noted.”

“Hehe~”

“Don’t just ‘hehe’ me!”

And there goes Alice's 'no frowning streak'.

Meanwhile, just behind the crowd, a soft groan escaped a girl’s lips as she sank to her knees, her hand clutching her chest.

“I’m… I’m not in Iruma-san’s class…”

Eiko stared up at the Misfit Class list in silent agony, the heartbreak written all over her face.

Her dragon-like friend bent down beside her in concern.

“Are you okay, Eiko?”

“Yeah…” she replied faintly. “I’m fine. I’ll live… I think…”

(A/N: Ganbare, Eiko-chan!)

Later, Iruma and his two friends approached the towering structure from the direction the map gave them.

“The first-years’ tower,” Alice intoned with a flourish of his hand, as if presenting a grand palace.

“This is where the new students are housed and educated.”

Clara bounced on her heels, eyes sparkling with a hyperactive gleam.

“Oooh! It has a cafeteria, right? I wanna see where our classroom is! Where’s the Misfit Class?!”

Alice glanced around, before looking at the map in his hands.

“Logically, it should be somewhere in this building. All new students' classrooms are located here.”

Before any of them could speculate further, something zipped past them in a trail of golden light, a glowing, arrow-shaped sigil pulsing gently in the air, as if beckoning them forward.

“Ah,” Alice said with a slight smile, hands clasped behind his back. “That must be the enchanted arrow to guide our Iruma-sama, the distinguished honor student, to his destination. Let us follow its path.”

"Eh? Me?"

"Hai."

Iruma left it at that, he couldn't understand it anyway. It's probably his grandfather's doing again.

The trio walked through the corridors of the tower, their gazes drifting over classrooms filled with various demons in every shape and size.

The decor, despite its infernal gothic architecture, strangely reminded Iruma of a regular school.

It was oddly comforting,though he’d never really gotten to attend school back on Earth. Just the idea of being a student, even a demon one, made his heart flutter.

But soon, things took a bizarre turn.

The arrow led them outside again, winding past the tower’s rear.

Confused, they followed it down a sloped path, where it curved toward the mouth of a dark cave nestled into a cliffside.

Clara giggled and raced ahead, having fun with the unknown direction the arrow was leading them to.

“Iruma-chi, Azz-Azz! This way! This is so exciting!”

Alice frowned and slowed slightly. He had a doubtful expression on.

“Underground? There’s a classroom here?”

Iruma blinked, again, in confusion.

“How far are we going…?”

As they descended into the darkness, the stale air shifted.

And then it hit them.

“Ugh! It stinks!” Clara whined, pinching her nose.

Alice snapped into action, pulling out an embroidered handkerchief.

“Iruma-sama! Please allow me to shield your noble senses from this vile stench! Here!”

Iruma chuckled softly, though the smell really was something awful.

“I’m okay, Azz-kun. But thank you for the offer.”

“It is always my pleasure, Iruma-sama!”

Eventually, the glowing arrow halted in front of a massive, rotting wooden door, scarred with claw marks and scorched at the edges.

As it flickered out of existence, Iruma hesitated, then slowly reached for the handle.

The door creaked open ominously.

Without warning, a mechanism inside whirred to life and a storm of jagged weapons burst from hidden slits in the ceiling and floor flew straight towards Iruma.

“Wha—?!” he yelped, ducking instinctively.

But even as the deadly projectiles rained down, Iruma’s body moved on its own, twisting, diving, and weaving through the barrage with inhuman precision.

It was his “Overwhelming Crisis Evasion Capability” kicking in again.

By the time the last blade clattered harmlessly to the ground, the entire room had gone silent.

And then, cheers erupted.

“Whoa! That was amazing!”

“No way he dodged all of them!”

“Honor student, indeed!”

“Do it again!”

“Hardship makes a man!”

Clara’s and Alice's eyes sparkled in awe at the display of skill.

“Iruma-chi! You’re super cool!”

Iruma staggered forward, catching his breath.

“I… I was almost skewered…”

Then suddenly, someone laughed.

“Guess I lost the bet.”

“Alright, alright, cough up the winnings!”

A few demons lined up casually, exchanging bills and muttering numbers under their breath.

Alice stepped forward with his eyes seething. Indignant rage is palpable from him.

“What in the Netherworld is the meaning of this?!”

A demon shrugged, clearly unremorseful.

“Just a prank, dude.”

“Yeah, we were betting on how many blades would actually hit him.”

Iruma stared at them in disbelief.

'This… is the Misfit Class? I almost died walking through the front door…'

Another student whistled then.

“Man, you’re the only one who dodged all of them! Though we did have someone who caught every single weapon…”

Alice’s eye twitched at the absurd claim.

“What kind of lunatic—?”

Only to be caught off when a voice boomed loudly.

“I WOULD NEVER COWER BEFORE A TRAP!”

A massive, blond-haired demon stepped forward, his broad chest gleaming with absurd confidence.

And has various sharp weapons still stuck in his body.

'Is he okay?!?'

“I am Sabnock Sabro! I shall become the next Demon King!” he bellowed, flexing his muscles. As he did, the weapons popped free from his flesh and clattered dramatically to the floor.

The Demon King.

 

The supreme ruler of the Netherworld.

 

A throne that had been empty for centuries.

Sabnock then pointed a finger at Iruma.

“Listen well, honor student! First, I shall rise to the rank of Yodh! Then, I shall seize the crown! And thou shall kneel before me!”

Iruma looked confused at the sudden challenge.

“Uh… What’s ‘thou’? And… Yodh?”

This time it was Sabnock's turn to blink.

“Thou is you. Unu is me. And Yodh is the highest demon rank, peasant!”

A brief lesson played out in backgrounf.

Demons are ranked on a scale from Aleph to Yodh.

 

Ten levels in total.

 

And Yodh?

 

The rarest.

 

The strongest.

 

The rank from which a new Demon King would be chosen.

Sabnock then sneered, “I despise anyone who might outrank me!”

He grabbed a sword from the pile and crushed it with one hand. Iruma took an involuntary step back.

“You’re the one who attacked a teacher and got tossed into this class,” another student commented.

“Yeah, you even made the school paper.”

Sabnock grinned, entirely unrepentant and even looked proud. 

“Taking down a teacher seemed like the quickest way to climb the ranks!”

And all Iruma managed is a nervous, “I… I see.”

However, at his answer, Sabnock loomed over him with a menacing frown.

“Don’t just ‘I see’ me! You don’t even know what Yodh is?! Are you sure you’re a demon?! And you call yourself that guy's relative?!?”

Iruma fell silent at his words. Technically, he wasn’t wrong... he is a human so...

Before things could escalate, Alice stepped forward, eyes glowing with dangerous calm.

“That is quite enough, Sabnock.”

Sabnock paused before turning his attention towards the pinkette standing protectively in front of Iruma.

“Asmodeus Alice, the First Year Representative. I heard you summoned a Gorgon Snake for your familiar.”

“Indeed,” Alice said coolly. “A creature of rare elegance.”

“Hah! I summoned a Kelbie! It has more legs, so it wins!”

“What kind of asinine logic is that?!”

Sabnock huffed, clearly ignoring what Alice said much to his growing irk.

“But now that you’re that guy’s slave, you’re not even fit to be my rival anymore. Pity.”

“I’m not Iruma-sama’s slave!” Alice exploded then.

“I am… I am his friend!”

“F… friend?” several students echoed in confusion.

Obviously, none of them knew what that meant.

And Alice is more than willing to educate this uninformed lot. (A/N: He acts like he didn't just know of it yesterday.)

With a proud gleam in his eyes, Alice explained, “A friend is someone who walks beside you, shares your burdens, your joys, even pledges to die with you if needed! A sacred, blood-bound pact!”

He’d clearly overdramatized the concept from the horrified gasps from the class.

Fortunately, before the situation could spiral even more out of control, a deep voice spoke up.

“Silence.”

The air shimmered as the door opened and Naberius Kalego strode through, a magic shield shimmering from his hand to deflect the still-active trap.

“I could hear your nonsense from outside,” he said with cold irritation. “Must you be so loud?”

“Kalego-sensei!”

“Eggie-sensei!”

"You're here, sensei!"

"Don't call me that, Valac," Kalego’s brow continued twitching. “Yes, thanks to a certain someone, I was falsely accused and, in my absence, assigned to this class.”

Iruma looked down, guilt creeping into his chest.

'Is this what Grandpa meant? I… I can’t even look him in the eye.'

Kalego’s gaze swept over the class, then narrowed slightly.

“Of course. He’s not here.”

“Who?” Iruma whispered to Alice.

“Silence. To your seats.”

And when they were all seated, roll call began.

“Agares Picero.”

A sleepy, orange-haired demon raised a hand from atop a floating cloud, barely awake.

“Asmodeus Alice.”

Asmodeus stood and bowed formally. As graceful as expected of his noble lineage.

“Present, sir.”

“Allocer Schneider.”

A lion-headed demon raised his hand.

“I am a thinking reed.”

“Andro M. Jazz.”

“Here,” said the sly demon who’d already swiped a few accessories from the amount held in his hands.

“Ix Elizabetta.”

A beautiful blonde demoness winked playfully.

“Here~!”

“Valac Clara.”

“Right here, Eggie-sensei!”

“I said top calling me that. Caim Camui.”

No response.

“Caim Camui? Are you not here Caim Camui?”

“Ah! H-here!”

An owl-like demon raised his hand, eyes fixed pointedly on Elizabetta.

“Garp Goemon.”

“I am here,” said a white hairy samurai-wielding demon.

“Crocell Keroli.”

“Here…” came a shy whisper from a bespectacled girl.

“Shax Lead.”

“Here, here!” chirped the blond boy, furiously tapping buttons on a handheld game.

“Sabnock Sabro.”

“Indeed!”

Sabnock posed triumphantly.

“Purson Soi.”

The bob-haired demon said nothing, still staring out the window.

“Suzuki Iruma.”

“Here…”

Kalego then paused.

“And— hm. Never mind.”

Iruma and Alice glanced at each other. That must’ve been Cale. But… where was he? He tried searching earlier when Alice and Sabnock where squabbling at the front, but he didn't find that distinctive shade of red.

“Now,” Kalego snapped the folder, “outside. It’s time for your first lesson. A rank determination exercise. You imbeciles will race to the flag at the end of the valley. Try not to embarrass yourselves.”

And with that, class began. In the most chaotic, demonically dangerous way possible.

Once outside the tower, the Misfit Class was herded toward two looming elevators embedded in the cliffs.

The metallic doors groaned open, and the students filed in with varying degrees of curiosity, grumbling, or excitement.

The slow ascent (or was it descent?) ended with a quiet jolt as the doors parted to reveal a vast, otherworldly scenery.

A high, jagged platform stretched out before them, carved from dark obsidian rock, it jutted dangerously into the sky like the shattered spine of some long-dead giant.

All around them, the valley was a brutal maze of razor-edged mountains, their points stabbing upward like claws. The wind howled between the peaks, dry and biting, carrying the sharp scent of ozone and magic.

It was harsh and imposing. Perfect for the ranking test.

And yet, perched right in the center of the platform, where the sun painted everything in golden light, was something that did not belong.

A luxurious, velvet-upholstered couch. Plump cushions and arved mahogany legs. A lace-trimmed tea table beside it with a porcelain tea pot gently steaming.

And lounging there, one leg draped over the other as though this were a royal veranda and not a battlefield, sat Cale Delvaux.

His crimson hair shimmered in the wind, contrasting with the pale shade of his skin and the immaculate white cuffs peeking from beneath his uniform coat.

Those eerie violet eyes, brighter than amethysts and sharper than polished glass, curved with amusement as they settled on the class.

He looked entirely at ease, sipping tea with one hand and swirling a silver parasol idly with the other.

Every student froze.

Even the rowdiest among them, mid-comment or half-laugh, went silent.

Cale’s smile widened, just slightly, just enough.

He hadn’t said a word, but his gaze said it all: Oh, you’re finally here? Took you long enough.

There was a moment of silence.

And then—

“…Tch.” Kalego exhaled, long and suffering, as if he’d seen this all coming the moment the boy didn't appear inside the classroom.

His brow twitched, annoyance and exasperating evident in his face.

“I don’t even want to ask how or why you got here first.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose with the weariness of a man reconsidering all his life choices.

Cale took another sip of his tea. He didn’t answer.

He didn’t have to.

His very presence on that couch, as relaxed as a noble at a garden party while the others were preparing for a ranking test, was the answer.

And it was driving Kalego insane.

✧✧✧

✧

✧

✧

✧

CHAPTER END

Chapter Text

A Day Ago

The towering, wrought-iron gates of Delvaux Manor creaked open slowly as Naberius Kalego stepped through, his usual stern demeanor eclipsed by a subtle weariness.

His posture remained rigid, as expected of a high-ranking demon and professor of Babyls, but there was no mistaking the faint slump in his shoulders or the tension around his eyes.

He looked as though he had clawed his way out of a migraine and into a headache.

Cale Delvaux, lounging casually on the front steps with an unreadable expression, tilted his head in interest.

It wasn’t every day that the ever-composed Naberius Kalego looked so thoroughly… done.

Well, unless he was dealing with him. That was a regular occurrence.

Cale opened his mouth to comment, but Kalego cut him off with a disgruntled grunt.

“Let’s go, brat. I’ve already had enough to deal with today,” His voice was clipped, brittle, like a blade about to snap. “Why I’ve been tasked with escorting you of all people, I’ll never understand.”

However, before Cale could respond a witty remark like usual, a silken voice half-amusement and half-threat floated behind him.

“Ohoho~ Oh dear, it seems the pup’s had a rough day.”

The change in Kalego's demeanor was immediate.

He froze, slowly turning his head as though hoping, praying to every devil and deity he knew that he had misheard.

Unfortunately, he had no such luck.

Standing just behind Cale, a serene smile gracing his face, was Ron Molan.

The old butler, no, the legendary assassin in butler’s clothing, watched Kalego with his usual benign smile.

The feline ears atop his graying head were perked in attention, and his long tail flicked lazily, betraying his clear amusement.

He didn’t even try to hide it.

Kalego’s mouth twitched. He was tempted to sigh again but knew better.

Instead, he composed himself, his voice a carefully measured tone of formality.

“…It is nothing I cannot handle, Molan-sama.”

Ron’s smile widened just a little, an ominous thing. The way a predator smiles when the prey thinks it’s safe.

“Oho? But my dear grandchild told me a rather different story, pup.”

Kalego stiffened.

'Opera.'

“…And pray tell,” he began with barely masked dread, “what exactly did Opera-senpai say?”

Ron hummed and then tapped his chin thoughtfully.

“Hmm~ They mentioned a little… mishap during a recent familiar summoning. Something about an unpredictable result and a certain professor who may or may not have collapsed afterward? Are you perhaps well enough to preside with another summoning in such a state?”

Kalego’s eye twitched again.

He shot a glance toward Cale, only to find the redhead’s expression schooled into polite amusement, but his eyes sparkled with thinly veiled mischief.

Damn felines.

He swallowed his pride, barely suppressing the urge to just snarl.

“With all due respect, Molan-sama, it was merely a miscalculation. I assure you, I am in perfectly sound condition to supervise another summoning. This one will proceed without incident.”

But the words did little to shake the dreadful realization setting in his gut.

'Wait… those two, Iruma and Cale, are related. That means–'

However, Cale’s voice broke through his thoughts like a well-timed dagger.

“It seems everything is in order, ” He stepped forward gracefully, hands clasped behind his back like a noble addressing the court. But the curve of his eyes tells a different story.

“I’ll trust this to your capable hands, Sensei.”

There was that smile again, that infuriatingly polite smile that is so so fake.

Kalego resisted the urge to grind his teeth.

He turned on his heel and stormed toward the carriage waiting beyond the cobblestone path. Behind him, the quiet sound of Ron’s purring chuckle and Cale’s soft footsteps trailed closely.

A bad feeling coiled in Kalego’s chest like smoke, foreboding and stubborn.

This wasn’t going to be a normal summoning.

Not with who was involved.

The towering spires of Babyls loomed in the twilight as the trio made their way across the shadowed courtyards, their footsteps echoing faintly in the stillness.

The school was quieter than usual, most students having long since departed for the day, leaving only the occasional echo of demonic laughter in the distance.

Their destination was the Familiars’ Hall.

The heavy doors creaked open, and the three figures stepped inside.

At the front of the vast room stood the summoning altar, faintly glowing with residual magic.

Kalego moved ahead, his long coat fluttering slightly behind him as he came to a stop beside the altar, arms crossed and expression stern.

“I assume you know the process for summoning familiars,” he said curtly, eyes narrowed at Cale.

Cale offered him a half-smile, calm and poised as always.

“Yes, I am aware. You taught me that a long time ago, Sensei.”

Kalego grunted in reluctant approval and extended a parchment sealed with his insignia.

“Good. Then take this and get to it. I’d prefer to get this over with before another catastrophe strikes.”

Cale accepted the parchment with a nod and walked toward the altar, while Ron's tail flickered with anticipation. He studied the altar, the ritual fire, and the parchment in his hand.

Then he glanced at his thumb.

‘I really hate pain…’

With practiced speed, he nicked the tip of his thumb, just enough to draw blood, and smeared it across the parchment. The moment the red met the aged paper, he brought it close to the fire.

The parchment caught flame instantly burning with an eerie blue light.

It was at that moment.

Boom!

The ground trembled beneath their feet.

A thunderclap tore through the hall, and outside, lightning arced violently across the darkened skies.

Students still lingering on campus shrieked in alarm as windows rattled and loose stones clattered from the rooftops.

Kalego immediately moved into a defensive stance, his eyes locked on the altar.

“Damn it! I should’ve known it wouldn’t be normal!”

Ron, who stood with hands casually clasped behind his back, merely narrowed his eyes. Though his stance remained elegant, there was a thinly veiled tension beneath the surface, ready to spring into action the moment his liege is in danger.

The altar belched smoke into the air, dark and thick as it swirled chaotically above the summoning circle. The shaking grew stronger, the rumble of power reverberating through every stone of the hall.

And then—

Pop!

The smoke cleared.

Hovering before them was… a black lizard?

Kalego blinked.

For a moment, he looked genuinely perplexed.

But it didn’t stop there.

Two more shapes emerged from the smoke. Small, lithe forms that blinked their wide eyes and flicked their fluffy tails.

Kittens?

'No–'

Kalego's eyes widened in realization. These weren’t ordinary summons. His mind scrambled to connect the dots as he scanned their features again, and suddenly, it all clicked.

“That’s—! A baby dragon! And two juvenile kaibyōs?!”

He stared at them in disbelief, his mind whirling fast as thousands of thoughts raced.

It had been decades since a dragon was last summoned at Babyls, heck even the whole Netherworld!

And that time, it had been the previous Delvaux Head who summoned the infamous Golden Dragon, Eruhaben, who is now watching over the red-head since his parents passed away.

That summoning had caused a nationwide stir.

And now, standing in front of him was another Delvaux Head summoning not one, but three mythical familiars?!

And kaibyō, kaibyōs! Only the first Demon King had managed such a feat! Was this some kind of hereditary nonsense?! Was the Delvaux bloodline dipped in pure absurdity?

He could only gape in disbelief, unbecoming of his stature but he couldn't care less.

Meanwhile, Cale knelt beside the creatures, arms open.

Raon, the small black dragon, chirped excitedly and flung himself into Cale’s arms, his tail curling around his shoulders possessively.

<Human! Cale! We’re here now!>

Two voices then echoed after him as Hong and Ohn pounced, one to his shoulder, and the other claiming a spot atop his head.

<That’s right, nya!>

<We’ll protect you, nya!>

Cale smiled, something soft and warm flickering in his eyes. A rare only witnessed by a few.

He had worried about the children. Worried that perhaps their spirits wouldn’t reach him, or that the summoning wouldn’t call them forth.

Only Eruhaben’s quiet reassurances had kept him from tearing through the Netherworld in search of them.

But now, here they were.

Safe, joyful, and clinging to him like always.

“I can protect myself, you know,” he whispered, voice filled with quiet emotion. “This time, I’ll be the one protecting you.”

The children, as expected, immediately protested.

<You always say that, human!>

<Yeah! And then you’ll get hurt, nya!>

<Bad Cale, nya.>

“I’ll be careful,” he said and then chuckled softly.

It was only then that Kalego seemed to remember how to speak. He cleared his throat, adjusting his coat like it could fix his crumbling dignity.

“…It seems the summoning is complete. I will note this in your records for tomorrow’s ranking evaluation.”

Cale rose to his feet, the children still nestled around him like living accessories. Ohn peeked from his hair while Hong playfully nipped at his earlobe. Raon snorted smoke, contentedly draped across his shoulders like a scarf.

“Thank you, Sensei,” Cale said with a respectful nod. “I apologize for disrupting your evening.”

“…It was nothing,” Kalego muttered, sounding more like a demon in his existential crisis than a teacher. And he's not even that old.

Cale gestured to Ron, who immediately walked to his side.

“We’ll take our leave now. Don’t worry, I’ll use an invisibility spell so we won’t be seen.”

Kalego merely gave a tired wave of dismissal.

He had a PR disaster to plan through. Looks like he won't be sleeping again.

“Do as you wish.”

Ron, ever composed, patted him on the shoulder gently as he passed, clearly enjoying his suffering.

Kalego didn’t even flinch.

He just wanted to go home.

He just wanted to sit in peace.

And be with his cactuses.

Was that so much to ask?

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CHAPTER END

Chapter Text

Naberius Kalego felt his eye twitch.

There, seated nonchalantly as if he wasn't the center of attention, was the red-haired headache that haunted his professional peace.

Cale Delvaux lounged on a velvet couch as if the jagged platform of obsidian beneath him were a garden terrace.

One leg was crossed over the other with casual elegance, a porcelain teacup delicately cradled in one hand.

A silver parasol twirled lazily in the other, casting a soft gleam against his ivory cuffs and crimson hair that shimmered like blood kissed by sunlight.

And he was smiling.

The Misfit Class stood frozen just behind Kalego, stunned into silence.

Their eyes flicked between their homeroom teacher and the vision of elegant nobility before them.

Only one dared move, it was Iruma who trembled like a child in a candy store, barely able to contain his joy.

Kalego exhaled sharply, his voice clipped and annoyed but his tone noticibly softened.

“You’re late.”

And Cale Delvaux merely tilted his head slightly, as if the accusation mildly surprised him.

“It does seem so.”

Kalego raised a skeptical brow at his reply.

The audacity.

However Cale remained unfazed and offered the answer before the question could even be voiced.

“I was here before dawn. I wouldn’t want to cause a scene, you see. And…” He sipped his tea, pausing with grace and a hint of fatigue passing in his eyes.

“The Student Council summoned me.”

“The Student Council? Why—” Kalego cut himself off mid-grumble. Then, as if the pieces clicked together against his will, he sighed.

“Ah, I see.”

It wasn’t approval, well not exactly.

It was the grudging acceptance of a man who’d long since realized that sanity and logic tended to unravel in Cale Delvaux’s vicinity.

Meanwhile, Cale masked his weariness behind a veneer of lazy casualness. He had, after all, orchestrated this entire morning with meticulous precision.

He had risen long before the sun did, unpleasant but necessary. The fewer witnesses to his arrival the better. The last thing he needed was a campus-wide commotion over something as trivial as his face.

By the time his carriage rolled to a stop at the looming gates of Babyls, the Student Council was already waiting, their silhouettes cast like guardians of protocol against the schoolyard.

Azazel Ameri, the formidable president with her aura of authority. The usual stern expression on her face.

Azazel Rosalyn, her twin sister, equally sharp but quieter. A mischievous smile on her smile gave Cale a bad premonition.

Belzebuth Alberu, the ever-radiant council advisor(the previous student council president), golden brown haired and too fond of politicking (and bantering with Cale).

And Naberius Han Zeva, a black haired second-year with far too much enthusiasm and a handmade ‘Cale Delvaux Fan Club’ badge pinned to his lapel beside his rank.

(He's the president btw.)

And it was Alberu had been the first to greet him, of course the smile on his face impossibly bright.

“My dear dongsaeng, how elegant you look this morning. I was worried you might outshine the sunrise.”

Cale had fought the urge to visibly recoil.

Instead, he bared his teeth in a smile so polished it was practically weaponized.

“Hyung-nim, always a pleasure. Your charm is as dangerously overwhelming as ever.”

And so began the battle of silver tongues. Subtle jabs masked in formal niceties, a duel dressed in velvet gloves.

Off to the side, Ameri sighed without looking up from her clipboard.

“They’re at it again.”

Rosalyn nodded far too cheerfully. In her hands is her phone, already taking a video of the scene the two are making.

“It’s tradition at this point.”

Choi Han, or well Han Zeva, was bouncing on his heels and beaming brightly as he cheered off at the side.

“Go, Cale-nim!”

Eventually, Ameri had clapped her hands once, ending the verbal sparring with finality. The duo immediately stopped.

"Let's go to the office, you both are making a scene."

And promptly turned to walk away after patting Cale on the shoulder.

The rest looked at each other, before Rosalyn shrugged and followed after her sister.

Ameri led Cale and the group into the Student Council room, a place full of papers, maps, and newspaper clippings.

There, they unveiled the measures they’d prepared to maintain order in the wake of Cale's official enrollment.

Cale’s only comment was a mild hum at the stack of paper handed to hum and then raised a brow at some parts.

He had a feeling Alberu and Rosalyn had a hand in that.

It was at that moment that Ameri, ever the diligent student, narrowed her eyes at Cale and asked the question that has been bothering her.

“What about Iruma? I never heard or met him before, how did he stay hidden all this time?”

However, Cale had merely offered a thin, unreadable smile. And Ameri knew that Cale won't open his mouth despite what she says.

Cale opened his mouth and offered a branch instead.

“He’s my cousin too, and he’s under my wing. I'll do anything to protect him.”

That had been all.

Ameri said nothing further, but her gaze lingered just a moment longer than necessary.

By the time the meeting ended, the sun was cresting over the ridgelines, and Cale had been dismissed with the exhausted gratitude of people who’d just survived a diplomatic incident.

"We'll see you later, Cale-nim!"

Cale left amidst the waves of goodbye.

He didn't go far when, suddenly, a guiding arrow spell appeared before him, prompting Cale to follow after.

Only to be led to a isolated and dilapited classroom tucked underground.

One glance through the cracked door had been enough.

The old chairs, the faded chalkboard, the smell,  the cold wind drifting through the broken windows, and the ominous creak of the floorboards—

It all screamed nope.

So he turned.

With leisurely steps, he ascended toward the valley where the ranking test would be held, arriving long before the rest.

The winds whispered around him softly and  the jagged obsidian platform stretched like a corpse’s spine into the sky.

It was perfect.

Then with deliberate flair, he summoned the couch. The tea table and parasol followed soon after.

If they were going to stare, let them stare.

If they were going to talk, give them something worth talking about.

He's a true Delvaux, and he shall embody the teachings his parents taught him

Cale Delvaux sat with the grace of a monarch awaiting tribute.

And now, as Kalego’s glare bore into him and the Misfits watched in stunned disbelief, he merely smiled.

He didn’t need to explain himself.

He was the explanation.

Cale turned his gaze toward Iruma, the corner of his mouth curling as the boy immediately perked up, eyes shining like stars.

The redhead raised his hand in a beckoning gesture, and Iruma all but launched himself forward without hesitation.

“Cale-nii! Good morning!”

Iruma barreled into Cale’s arms, and the older teen caught him with ease, staggering back only a step from the sheer force of the impact.

Cale let out a soft grunt, but his expression softened. A rare, fond chuckle escaped his lips as he ruffled Iruma’s hair with practiced familiarity.

His hand lingered for a moment, then he straightened, his tall frame effortlessly towering over most of the students around them.

“Good morning to you too, Iru,” he said, his voice gentle but teasing. “You seem especially energetic today.”

“Hehe!” Iruma giggled brightly, beaming up at him.

Cale patter his head once more before humming thoughtfully.

“I would’ve invited you for tea, but I fear Professor Kalego may incinerate us where we stand if we test his patience any further.”

Cale’s eyes flicked to the side, where Kalego was, indeed, looking seconds away from unleashing fiery doom. His irritation radiated from him, a clearly sign his patience is thinning.

Cale may be shameless, but he knew when to step back from agitating him further.

Opera taught him how to do so.

With a flick of Cale’s wrist, the ornate table and velvet couch he had summoned vanished in a blink, like mist swept away by wind.

Only then did the Misfit Class snap out of their collective daze.

“Oh my deviiii!”

“It’s really Lord Delvaux!”

“His hair! So pretty!”

Alice looked like someone had stolen the breath from his lungs. Clara sparkled with starry-eyed wonder, as if she’d just seen a shooting star in a tuxedo.

Then as if a switch had been flipped, the rest of the Misfit Class rushed forward like a colorful and chaotic stampede with Clara dragging a still-frozen Alice by the sleeve.

“Can I have your autograph?!”

“Are you our classmate?!”

“Please step on me!!!”

Cale blinked, lips parting slightly as he raised a single brow in dry disbelief.

“…What?”

Fortunately for him, before the situation could spiral even further into madness, Kalego stepped in with his brows furrowed.

“Silence,” Kalego commanded, his tone like the snap of a whip.

“That’s enough, you lot. Back away and line up, unless you want me to personally toss each of you off this cliff.”

Immediately, the class scrambled to obey with a speed born of survival instincts.

As they hurried into formation, Cale met Kalego’s eyes and gave a subtle nod of gratitude. Kalego merely huffed and looked away, but the meaning was clear.

Tsundere.

Once order had been restored, Kalego began his explanation, voice clipped and impatient.

“We’ve already wasted enough time,” he said coldly. “I expect all of you to pay attention.”

His sharp gaze swept the line of students only to twitch in irritation when he caught a few still sneaking glances toward the tall redhead lingering on the far right.

He let out an exasperated sigh before deciding to ignore them all together.

It is not worth the headache.

“Your ranks will be determined based on the familiar-summoning exam, combined with your performance in today’s race. The goal is simple: reach the flag perched high above the valley, shrouded in mist. I will now explain the course.”

With a snap of Kalego’s fingers, a puff of pink sparkles burst into the air, forming a whimsical, cutesy screen complete with glittery hearts and bubble letters.

Cale blinked at the display, his lips twitching.

The frame flickered to life, and the same demon heart mascot from the summoning ritual appeared, chipper and enthusiastic as ever.

“I will now explain the course!” the heart announced, voice high-pitched and bubbly.

“It’s a bit long, but you can choose the sweet, relaxing route through Warbling Valley! Or, if you’re feeling daring, you can try Cutthroat Valley! It’s full of traps and tricky terrain! Be careful of the mountains and the demon birds guarding their nests! Okay, then, let’s—!”

Bam!

The voice cut off with a crack as Kalego stomped down on the screen, shattering it with no remorse.

Cale barely held back his laugh, his shoulders shaking.

Seeing that in person is even better than the stories.

Kalego cleared his throat, straightening his cloak as if to brush off the indignity of the glitter and sparkles.

“That concludes the explanation,” he muttered darkly.

“The only way to get through this quickly is Cutthroat Valley!” Sabnock declared, flexing his biceps with confidence.

“The only option this year,” Kalego replied coolly, “is Warbling Valley.”

“Huh?! Hold it— why?!”

“For reasons beyond your comprehension. The guardian of Cutthroat Valley has been… moody. We cannot ensure your safety if you cross its path.”

“I’m going through Cutthroat Valley!” Sabnock, however, insisted. “Otherwise, there’s no point!”

“Who cares?!” Kalego muttered, clearly exasperated at the idiocy of the young demon.

It was then Cale spoke, his voice cutting through the noise with the calm of someone who'd seen too many people die from arrogance.

“Best not to provoke a beast when it’s already on edge,” he said simply. “A single misstep, and you might not have a second chance.”

His tone was casual, but the warning beneath it made a few students shiver. Cale’s amethyst eyes briefly flicked toward Sabnock.

And though Sabnock still looked determined to go through Cutthroat Valley, Cale quietly sighed to himself.

'I suppose I’ll have to keep an eye on the blonde buffoon.'

The gate creaked open with a deep groan, its hinges echoing like a war drum rolling over the valley.

“All of you, get ready,” Kalego’s voice rang out, curt and commanding as expected of him.

At once, the Misfit Class leapt into motion.

Wings burst forth from their backs. Leathery, feathered, scaled, and in every shape and hue imaginable. The sky bloomed with the colors of youthful ambition as the students took flight.

All except two.

Cale remained motionless, one hand in his pocket, the other balancing a surprised Iruma beside him. Neither had spread wings, and neither showed any intention of rushing forward.

“We will now begin the flying race,” Kalego declared.

“Ready… go!”

Swish!

The class surged past the gate with a sudden gale of wingbeats. The force of their ascent was so strong that it kicked up a windstorm around the platform.

Iruma, unprepared, squeaked in surprise as the wind swept him backward. His feet lost purchase on the stone, and he tumbled toward the edge.

But before he could fall, a hand shot out.

Cale caught Iruma by the collar with impeccable timing, reeling him in like a loose kite.

“S-Safe…” Iruma gasped as he clutched Cale’s sleeve.

“You have to be careful, Iru,” Cale said with a faint sigh, brushing wind-tousled hair out of Iruma’s eyes.

But then, before either could recover further.

Thud

Cale blinked as he felt a hard boot plant itself firmly against his back.

“Get moving,” Kalego muttered, and then shoved them off the cliff.

“Wait—”

The air dropped out from beneath them.

“CALE-NIIIIIIIIIIII!!!” Iruma’s scream echoed off the cliffs as both plummeted down the sheer drop.

Wind roared past them as the ground raced up to meet them, but before panic could fully set in, Cale acted.

With a snap of energy, wings burst from his back.

They were stunning, vast and translucent black like obsidian, with veins of glowing crimson threading through the feathers like burning rivers. The air shimmered where they beat, as if reality itself bent to accommodate them.

Iruma despite himself, stared in awe and was breathless.

“Whoa…”

Cale glanced down at the boy he still held close. He hummed in thought before opening his mouth to ask.

“Do you want to have wings of your own?” he asked softly.

Iruma's eyes widened before he immediately bobbed his head up and down with his eyes still wide.

Cale plucked a sliver from his own wing, an iridescent shard that pulsed like living crystal, and handed it to him.

“I’ll give you a piece of mine. But your wings will look different, it always depends on the person,” Cale's voice softened as he placed the shard on Iruma's hand.

“Hold it close and wish for your own.”

Iruma did as told and gently clasped the shard in both hands.

Light burst from between his fingers. For a heartbeat, their surroundings turned to gold.

Then, with a sudden flash, a pair of wings unfurled from Iruma’s back.

Sleek, black, and grand, with a shimmering blue tint that caught the light like moonlit water. Draconic in form and powerful in build, they trembled slightly under their own weight.

“Whoa— whoa!!” Iruma yelped and panicked, flailing his hands at the sudden weight.

Cale didn’t let go and kept his hold on his hands.

“I’ve got you. Do you want to try flying?” he asked, his tone endlessly patient. “I’ll keep holding on.”

Iruma hesitated and then looked down. He gulped at how far the ground is before raising his head. He looked at Cale's eyes and felt the fear slowly melting away from him.

And so with determination, Iruma nodded his head.

“Yeah… okay!”

Gently, Cale loosened his grip, allowing Iruma to flap his wings.

They hovered together, Iruma wobbling uncertainly like a newborn bird, but slowly, so slowly, he found his balance.

And Cale watched, a rare softness in his expression.

“You’re doing well,” he murmured.

“I think I got it! Maybe, yeah! I— oh, I want to try on my own!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah! Kinda!”

And Cale’s reply was an amused chuckle.

“Alright, I’ll watch you. Just don't crash.”

He let go and Iruma hovered shakily in place. His face split into a huge beaming smile.

Cale smiled back, a quiet pride rising in his chest.

However, it was at that moment.

A shadow sliced across the sky.

In a blur of talons and feathers, a massive demon bird swooped down.

Iruma’s eyes widened.

“Eh—?!”

The creature let out a shriek, and before either could react, it snatched Iruma up in its claws and banked hard, vanishing into the clouds with the boy dangling in its grip.

For a moment, there was only stunned silence.

Cale stared blankly at the vanishing figures of Iruma and the bird.

“…Seriously?”

Then, like a bullet, he launched forward, his black-crimson wings slicing through the sky with lethal precision.

Before him, Iruma screamed, arms flailing. The bird flapped harder, climbing higher into the misty cliffs.

Cale’s expression darkened and his hand ignited with his ancient power.

He was so done with today.

Fuck the test, he's grilling birds for dinner.

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CHAPTER END

A/N:

Here's my inspiration for their wings! Photos are not mine, I just saw them on Pinterest while looking for ideas.

(This is for Cale's)

(This is Iruma's)

Don't worry, this is just inspirations. You can imagine how their wings look like however you like!

Chapter Text

With a quiet exhale, Naberius Kalego slowly lowered his raised foot and stepped away from the cliff’s edge.

His gaze had briefly lingered on the spot where two of his most dreaded students had just been unceremoniously launched, by him, into the vastness below.

Delvaux Cale and Suzuki Iruma.

He peered downward once, saw no signs of death or dismemberment, and promptly shrugged.

"They’ll be fine," he muttered to himself.

With another sigh, he turned his back on the cliff and calmly strode toward one of the waiting elevators embedded into the mountainside. The metallic doors slid open with a low mechanical hum, and he stepped inside.

As the elevator whirred to life, Kalego allowed himself a moment of peace, which ended the instant the platform reached its destination, the observation post and also the platform where the flag is embedded.

A jagged outcrop of rock extended over the valley, and Kalego, without hesitation, snapped his fingers.

With a spark of magic, a luxuriously crafted purple seat shaped like a curled leaf materialized.

It floated slightly above the ground, elegant and absurdly comfortable-looking. Nearby, several floating blob-like demons with bat wings, the school’s sentient surveillance assistants, hovered into position.

One of them presented Kalego with a steaming cup of tea on a saucer with pristine etiquette.

Kalego gracefully accepted it, took a sip, and then sighed again.

“Now, then,” he murmured, snapping his fingers once more.

Multiple floating screens shimmered into view, each bearing the label of a Demonitor, the school’s magical broadcasting system designed for overseeing various student activities.

Each monitor was tuned to follow different members of the Misfit Class as they took on the flying race.

It was then that Demonitor 1 flickered into focus.

Agares Picero was floating horizontally like he was on a recliner, which he technically is with his cloud, lazily drifting with demeanor of someone who'd accidentally wandered into the event while napping.

Shax Lead soared behind him, chatting animatedly about nothing in particular, whilst still playing his console with rapt attention.

Caim Camui kept veering off course while talking to himself, although the sneaking glances he kept giving the girls was a bit disturbing.

Ix Elizabetta was busy admiring the clouds, going ara ara every few minutes, and Crocell Keroli trailed behind whilst quietly humming a song.

The group looked less like competitors in a high-stakes ranking exam and more like students on a whimsical school picnic.

Kalego's felt his eyebrow twitch.

“Idiots,” he muttered under his breath.

He then turned his head to Demonitor 2 next.

Immediately, it showed a grinning Andro M. Jazz with a suspicious gleam in his eyes.

He looked like had just snatched something from a rocky ledge and held it up triumphantly for all to see. It was a large and spotted egg, clearly still warm from its nest.

“Say, do you think demon bird eggs sell for a good price?” he asked, already imagining the potential profits.

Allocer Schneider, expression completely unbothered by the crime committed before him, answered in his usual calm and scholarly tone.

“If you boil it, eight minutes should suffice. Add a dash of salt before serving.”

"You should pair it with onigiri!" Gaap Goemon chimed in, his expression genuine despite the mischievousness of the act.

At their answers, Jazz grinned once more. He even had his fingers curled to show his agreement.

"Ok ok, I'll keep that in mind~"

Kalego facepalmed as he had to watch as Jazz’s theft instantly triggered chaos.

A furious flock of demon birds screeched down from above, eyes glowing red and wings flapping violently. The trio barely had time to brace before they were being attacked from all directions.

The camera shook as Jazz, Allocer, and Gaap screamed and dodged, well at least they flew faster towards the goal to avoid the swarm.

Kalego groaned before harshly gripping the sides of the floating screen.

“I’m surrounded by morons,” he hissed, a manic look briefly appearing in his otherwise stern expression. “Please, please, tell me at least one of you is taking this seriously.”

It was then that Demonitor 3 flickered into view, catching the desperate Kalego's attention.

A fast-moving blur zipped across the screen, Kalego furrowed his brows before recognition dawned on him when the camera came to full focus.

It was Asmodeus Alice with his expression focused and determined. He was gracefully weaving through narrow cliffs with the ease of a master flyer who have done such tests for years.

At least one student was behaving like a model demon. Kalego gave a sigh of relief at that.

Alice dipped toward a field of glowing flowers, but in an instant, the blossoms snapped open and fired dozens of sharp needles at him.

“I guess I can’t avoid them after all,” he murmured to himself.

And then, with a flick of his wrist, he summoned his familiar.

“Gorgon Snake, burn them to the ground.”

The snake let out a hiss and spewed a wave of controlled fire. The field went up in flames and scorched to ashes in seconds.

“Excellent,” Alice praised as he patted the familiar's head.

It was at that moment.

“Wowie! One more time! One more time!” a chipper voice piped up behind him.

Alice froze in shock before a tick twitched near his temple when he recognized the voice.

“You… when did you…?” he asked, his voice strained in suppressed fury.

Valac Clara was happily perched on his back, arms flung around his neck like she had been there the entire time.

“Well, see, right at the start, I hopped on, and then I was like oh! But then I saw the flowers and I was like waaah! And then..."

“Don’t get bored of your own explanation halfway through!”

Alice felt his annoyance grow.

However, just as he tried to get a hold of himself, his eyes caught movement. A fast-moving figure shooting toward the far edge of the valley.

“Wait… That’s… Sabnock?” he muttered. “That direction is... Cutthroat Valley?! Don’t tell me—”

“Hey, Azz-Azz! You’re slowing down!” Clara shouted to his ear and jostling on his back.

Distracted, Alice didn’t notice the creeping vines snaking their way toward them until it was too late.

“Ugh— Valac, look out!” he shouted but as said earlier it was too late.

The lianas had twisted around their limbs mid-air.

“Azz-Azz! I’m tangled! I can’t move! I’m stuck! I’m stuck! Do something!” Clara cried, flailing her arms wildly.

“Stop struggling! Let go of me first—!”

But the vines, overwhelmed by their combined weight and Clara’s frantic movements, snapped.

And then both of them plummeted downward with a scream.

Kalego sat in stunned silence for a while, his eyes kept twitching as the reality sank in.

He exhaled a sigh before taking a long, slow sip of his tea.

And quietly, he muttered, “I need a vacation.”

But alas, the duties of a teacher does not end there. 

Because moments later, a communication sigil shimmered before him, bearing a message with clipped efficiency.

“There’s been an intruder reported in Cutthroat Valley.”

Kalego didn’t need to ask who.

He already knew because he saw it happen with his own eyes.

“Sabnock Sabro,” he muttered, letting out another long-suffering sigh.

He brought up his clipboard, flipping to the appropriate page, and struck through the boy’s name with a conjured pen.

“Of course it would be him. Every year, at least one idiot charges straight into the jaws of death, thinking themselves immune to consequences.”

Truly, because the idiot in question was grinning like a maniac.

Sabnock Sabro tore through the turbulent air currents of Cutthroat Valley, wings straining against the pressure. The wind lashed at him with claws of ice, and flocks of aggressive demon birds shrieked as they scattered around him.

However, he didn’t even flinch despite it all.

“This is how it should be!” Sabnock had roared, his muscles straining and his eyes wild with determination.

“Cutthroat Valley is a gauntlet! It’s dangerous, brutal, and far shorter! That’s why true demons, real contenders for Demon King, conquer it!”

His voice was nearly drowned by the booming of thunder overhead, but he shouted anyway, as though the valley itself needed to hear him.

“I’ll face the guardian head-on! Crush it beneath my heel! This will be the battlefield where I mark the beginning of my reign!”

He then clenched his fist with eyes gleaming in determination.

“And I’ll show that damn Delvaux that it is worthy to stand beside me!”

Back on the platform, Kalego took another sip of his now lukewarm tea, utterly unfazed by the boy’s declarations. He glanced at the tea before gesturing for it to be taken away.

“If we’re lucky,” he said dryly to no one in particular, “we’ll at least recover him with an arm intact.”

And once more, Naberius Kalego heaved a deep sigh. Then his eyes flicked toward the now-dimmed feeds of the Demonitors.

Several screens still showed chaos, students fumbling through flower traps, others dodging demon birds, but one feed was still dark.

Narrowing his eyes, Kalego muttered quietly, before glancing at the other screens.

“Where are the other two fools who started late…?” 

Returning his gaze to the still unlit screen, Kalego continued to hum in thought.

“The Demonitors have lost track of them. That can’t be good.”

The “other two” being, of course, Cale Delvaux and Iruma Suzuki, arguably the most troublesome pairing in the entire Misfit Class.

Kalego could feel a headache brewing.

Cale and quiet? That has never been a good combination.

Meanwhile, deep in the valley, chaos was already unfolding, just as Kalego predicted.

A massive demon crow shrieked and flapped its wings in alarm. Something had startled it, making it flinch mid-flight, and its talons loosened.

Iruma, who had only just recovered from the earlier panic, gave a startled yelp as the world dropped out from beneath him.

“AAAAAAAH—!”

“IRUMA!” Cale shouted, his sharp voice cutting through the wind like a blade.

He dove without hesitation, his wings slicing through the air as he surged downward in pursuit.

The valley blurred around him, cliffs and clouds passing in a rush of motion and noise. However, his eyes remained locked on the small falling figure below him

He wouldn’t let Iruma fall, not on his watch.

At the same time, elsewhere, where Alice and Clara are, things weren’t going much better.

Alice and Clara were currently in the middle of being eaten by a gigantic carnivorous flower.

Clara was halfway inside the bud, clinging tightly to Alice’s coat and refusing to let go.

“Azz-Azz… it’s been nice knowing you,” she said solemnly with her eyes teary. “If this is the end, I just want to say… thank you for everything.”

“LET GO OF ME!” Alice had barked, still struggling to free himself from both Clara and the flower’s grasp.

And finally, when his patience has reached its limits, he drew his flaming sword with a growl and slashed across the petals in a wide and fiery arc. The flower screeched, its thick tendrils writhing as its body was cleaved in two.

With a wet pop, Clara tumbled out of the plant’s maw, landing on her feet with a cheerful grin.

“I’m back, Azz-Azz!”

Alice stared at her with barely restrained fury.

“I can see that.”

Heaving a sigh, he brushed plant slime off his shoulder and tried to calm his heavy breathing.

After that, he looked around and scanned the valley for any signs of their classmates.

“Iruma-sama and Lord Delvaux still haven’t arrived. Should we go find them?” he asked, though mostly to himself. “Is that what… friends… do?”

He frowned, a conflicted look flashing on his face. He hummed in thought as he turned his eyes to every direction.

“Then again, knowing them, they’ve probably already reached the goal and passed by while I was wasting time standing still.”

And then immediately, he scowled toward the direction of Cutthroat Valley.

“Or… they may have gone the same route as Sabnock.”

He didn’t want to believe it.

But with those two?

Anything was possible.

And then, it was at that moment, as if to add to Alice's growing frustration, Clara leapt onto his back again. Like it was natural to do so.

“Alright, let’s regain our composure and go, Azz-Azz! Time for round two!”

“Get OFF me!”

Is what he said, but made no moves to truly remove Clara on his back.

The vines around them twitched ominously again, and without another word, Alice took to the skies, Clara giggling behind him as they sped forward into the valley once more.

Back on the platform, Kalego stared at the chaos unfolding on each screen with an expression that had long since passed irritation and moved into quiet resignation.

He took a sip of his newly warmed tea and sighed again.

“Why,” he asked blankly while gazing at the sky with empty eyes, “did I ever decide to become a teacher?”

Obviously, he received no reply at his question.

✧✧✧

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CHAPTER END

Chapter Text

The air rushed past in a violent howl, slicing across Cale’s skin as he dove for Iruma.

Below him, the jagged teeth of the valley jutted upward like a predator’s maw, greedy for a victim.

Iruma was falling fast.

But fortunately, Cale was faster.

His wings snapped back just before he caught the boy, cradling Iruma against his chest tightly. The momentum from their descent jarred them both, but Cale managed to angle their bodies just enough to cushion the impact of their sudden halt.

A gust of wind whirled around them, and then… silence.

They hovered suspended in the open sky. Both of their heartbeats thundered between them loudly and frantically.

Both were breathless, lungs working overtime to pull in air after the adrenaline-filled plunge. Cale’s arms stayed firm around Iruma’s smaller form, his chest rising and falling with steady effort as he tried to calm his racing heart.

Finally, the worst didn't happen.

Just as he opened his mouth to ask if Iruma was alright, the blue-haired boy lifted his head.

And Cale blinked in surprise at the sight.

There were no tears, no trembles, nor pale-faced panic in Iruma.

Instead, Iruma’s eyes sparkled like twin stars, wide and alight with uncontainable glee.

“That was sooooo fun! I want to do it again!” Iruma exclaimed, his grin so wide it nearly split his face.

Cale Delvaux, speechless, could only stared at the blue-haired boy.

Of all the reactions, shock, fear, crying, heck even clinging, this was not what he expected.

He opened his mouth, promptly closed it, then opened it again. However, in the end, nothing came out of Cale's mouth.

And then finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Cale was able to voice out his confusion with a single word.

“…Huh.”

Cale had blinked slowly, and then let out a long sigh. A sigh so deep that it briefly fluttered his bangs.

“Well, I suppose I’d rather deal with joy than trauma,” he muttered dryly.

Still, he couldn’t hide the fondness that crept into his voice. His arms adjusted slightly, pulling Iruma into a more secure hold.

“Glad someone at least enjoyed the ride.”

At his words, Iruma chuckled sheepishly with his feet swinging playfully in the air.

“Sorry, Cale-nii.”

Cale simply shook his head with an exasperated chuckle and gave the boy a gentle pat on the back.

Iruma leaned into the touch like a happy kitten, the flutter of trust between them warming the chill of the wind.

They floated for a moment longer with their wings hovering against the updrafts, before Cale turned his gaze toward the rocky horizon.

“Let’s find a place to land for a bit. Catch our breath, and then let's finish the test,” he said as he scanned the terrain with calculating eyes.

Iruma immediately perked up and joined in the search, his eyes scanning the steep cliffs and sparse outcroppings of the valley.

“There!” he said then pointing eagerly to a direction. “That looks safe, right?”

Cale followed his gaze to a wide and shallow bowl of woven branches perched between two jutting cliff faces. It was a massive nest, likely belonging to one of the valley’s notorious demon birds.

But it did looked empty, for now.

Cale considered it for a moment with his brows slightly furrowed.

“That’s definitely a demon bird’s nest,” he said, his tone flat. “But it does look abandoned at the moment... Hm.”

He hummed thoughtfully, his eyes further narrowing as his thoughts deepened.

He glanced at Iruma, and upon noticing his eager expression, finally made his decision.

“Alright, we’ll rest there for five minutes, no more than that. Just in case the owner decides to return. And if it does, well… fortunately, those birds aren’t exactly apex predators.”

Iruma cheered as Cale prepared to fly them in the nest's direction.

He angled his wings and shifted their path and the pair soared toward the nest, and not long after he landed them smoothly with practiced ease.

Their shoes settled into the soft fibrous surface, and for the first time in what felt like hours, solid ground was beneath their feet, even if it was a nest.

The nest creaked faintly beneath their weight, but it held their sudden addition. Bits of feathers and cracked shells were scattered in the corners. It smelled faintly of ozone, twigs, and something sour, but it was better than dangling in the air or hovering over rock spires.

Cale folded his wings behind his back, the translucent black feathers shimmering faintly with red in the late-afternoon sun. He then turned to Iruma and gestured with his hand.

“You should retract your wings for now. We’ll practice flying again later, maybe at home, where there’s less risk of being bird food.”

Iruma nodded vigorously in agreement.

“Yes, please! No more being kidnapped today.”

Cale's eyes crinkled as he chuckled and ruffled the boy’s hair fondly.

“Good, now follow my lead.”

He showed Iruma the technique, how to feel the pull of magic beneath his skin, to focus inward and will the wings away.

It took a few tries, but eventually, Iruma’s draconic wings shimmered and folded into nothingness, leaving behind only faint blue sparks that flickered before vanishing.

Iruma clapped in delight, his eyes wide in awe.

“That was cool!”

“Of course it was, it was I who taught you,” Cale replied with a smirk.

They both laughed quietly, their tension finally easing somewhat.

Around them, the wind howled through the valley like the roars of a distant beast, but for now, the nest was calm, a brief sanctuary amid the sudden chaos of the ranking test.

But alas, peace wouldn’t last forever (not with this two together, no).

After the chaos, the dive, the desperate flight, and the much-needed rest, Iruma finally sat down with a long exhale.

His legs folded beneath him, and he nestled himself into the softer parts of the nest, carefully avoiding any broken twigs or jagged pieces of shell.

His eyes then wandered, curious as always, until something caught his attention. It was a smooth and pale object partially hidden beneath a feather.

He glanced at Cale, then back at the object, before deciding to reach for it. It's probably nothing special, anyway.

“Huh…?”

Lifting the object, he then promptly blinked in confusion. It was round, solid, and oddly shaped.

And then, as if a lightbulb lit up above his head.

It was at that moment that realization hit him like a freight train.

And Iruma wants to smack the him of a few seconds ago.

It was a demon skull.

A faint chuckle slipped past his lips, but it quickly turned into a nervous one. His face paled as he gingerly set the skull back down with trembling fingers.

“I didn’t expect that…”

His voice trailed off, still chuckling nervously.

Guess you shouldn't just touch anything carelessly, huh?

Iruma turned his head to explain what he saw, only to pause when he saw Cale standing completely still with his expression tense and, most importantly, alert.

“Cale-nii?”

His amethyst eyes were sharply fixed on something behind Iruma, it was narrowed with cautious calculation.

His entire posture had changed.

Gone was the relaxed and teasing older brother. In his place stood a guardian ready to strike.

Cale’s voice dropped, low and steady.

“Iru, stand up now and get behind me.”

That tone, firm and urgent, sent a chill down Iruma’s spine.

“Hurry, Iru.”

Iruma didn’t even look back.

Trusting Cale implicitly, Iruma scrambled to his feet and rushed behind him, hiding in the safety of his shadow.

And then finally, once there, curiosity won over caution, and he peeked around Cale’s side.

What he saw froze him in place.

A massive white demon bird stood before them, wings half-spread as if preparing to strike, its eyes glowing with sharp intent.

Its feathers gleamed like snow under moonlight, it was pristine and equally deadly. Its beak was long and curved, talons sharper than knives gripping the edge of the nest.

Then it screeched, it was loud and high-pitched, the kind of sound that rattled bones and shook the air itself.

Iruma instinctively flinched, his eyes squeezing shut as he held the back of Cale's uniform jacket in his shaking grasp.

He thought, just for a second, that this was it. They were done for.

He momentarily forgot who was with him.

But then… silence.

A few moments passed where only silence reigned. And the longer it happened, the more Iruma became confused.

So cautiously, Iruma opened one eye, then both as he blinked in confusion at the unexpected sight.

The bird wasn’t attacking.

Instead, it swayed slightly on its right leg, which trembled in obvious pain now that Iruma looked at it.

And then, as his eyes focused on the bird's leg, he noticed something red glistening along its pale scales.

A long and deep slash ran down its leg. Blood oozed slowly from the wound, staining the nest in dark crimson.

“…You’re hurt,” Cale murmured, his tone softening, because he too had already noticed what Iruma saw.

He slowly relaxed his raised hand, fingers twitching from where he had been ready to summon a defensive spell.

“I see. You’re not angry… you’re scared... and in pain.”

Iruma’s shoulders lost their stiffness as he heard the understanding in Cale’s voice. If Cale wasn’t alarmed anymore, then maybe they weren’t in danger.

“But what can we do…?” Iruma had muttered aloud, his eyes searching everywhere. He looked around the nest again, gaze landing on a piece of tree bark.

And then suddenly, an idea seemed to come to him.

“Oh! Right!” he said with a snap of his fingers and then immediately went to the bark and snatched it.

Cale’s brow lifted at his bizarre actions, still wary about the bird but now feeling exasperated at Iruma.

“You have an idea, Iru?”

Iruma nodded, though his eyes were focused now on the bird and not Cale.

He held the bark shard tightly in his hand and slowly walked forward towards it, causing Cale’s hand to twitch again. He was ready to intervene, but he said nothing and just watched. For now, since it seems Iruma had something in mind.

“It’s okay,” Iruma said gently, his voice gentle and soft as he coaxed the frazzled bird. “Cale-nii and I just want to help you. Here, look.”

With that, he pressed the bark’s edge against the back of his own hand. Immediately, a thin line of blood appeared and welled up quickly. Iruma winced at the pain, but he didn’t stop. Instead, he took out his handkerchief and tied it neatly around the wound.

“Iru!” Cale had called, his voice laced with concern and confusion. He stepped forward, his eyes flickering between Iruma and the demon bird.

“What are you doing?”

Iruma then looked back at him with a smile. It was gentle, firm, and glowing with sincerity. That prompted Cale to stop in his tracks, he understood that smile more than anyone else. It means he had made his decision and won't back down.

'Seriously, this kid will give me a heart attack one day.'

Seeing that Cale decided to back off and watch for the time being, Iruma gave him a grateful nod before turning his attention again to the bird.

“Cale-nii and I mean no harm,” he said again, voice louder this time. “So… please let us take a look at your wound. I’ll be careful, I promise.”

The bird had blinked slowly, its sharp eyes focused on Iruma’s small frame.

It visibly hesitated.

And then… it lowered its body slightly and shifted its injured leg forward.

Cale let out the slow breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.

“…He really is something else,” he muttered to himself in resignation, before finally deciding to step closer.

“Thank you!” Iruma beamed brightly as he knelt beside the injured limb and immediately began inspecting it closely.

Cale stood beside him now, watching over him with a mixture of pride and wariness.

“I have a healing potion in my pouch. You can use it, just pour it over the wound.”

Cale didn't wait for a response before taking out the said potion and handing it over to Iruma.

“Ah! Thank you, Cale-nii!”

Iruma accepted the small vial with both of his hands and widened eyes, before turning to show it to the bird.

“This is a healing potion,” he explained softly, noticing how the bird warily watched the vial. “It’ll make the pain go away, okay? I’m going to pour it now.”

Iruma waited for its response, and fortunately, it didn't take long as the bird nodded its feathery head when it sensed no ill intent from the two.

Cale, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes before shaking his head with a fond smile.

“He didn’t even use that potion on his own wound…”

He then sighed again and it was long and resigned.

Typical Iruma.

And that's what Cale loves the most about him. He will love him regardless, but those traits just made Cale proud of how Iruma grew up to be.

However, it was at that moment, as Cale was reminiscing like an old man. As Iruma uncorked the potion and began to tip it forward, a small droplet of blood from his hand, still freshly wounded since he didn't use the potion for himself, slipped free.

It fell.

And then landed directly on the bird’s wound.

And then suddenly, a blinding light erupted from the point of contact.

Both Iruma and Cale froze as the light intensified, wrapping around the bird’s leg like a cocoon of pure energy.

The light pulsed once, and then twice, before finally disappearing.

The moment the strange light vanished, Cale instinctively pulled Iruma into his arms. His violet eyes scanned the area, wary of any danger that might follow such an unnatural burst of energy.

Iruma clutched the front of his uniform tightly. His eyes, wide and stunned, were glued to the now perfectly healed leg of the massive white demon bird.

The wound, the long and deep gash that had torn through flesh and scales, was completely gone. With not even a scar remaining.

Iruma silently gasped in awe, leaning forward just slightly to get a better look.

“It’s… all better now,” he whispered, obvious disbelief coloring his voice. “But how? I haven’t even used the potion yet…”

Cale didn’t answer immediately.

He stared at the bird’s leg, his gaze intense with thought, before slowly humming in deep contemplation.

“There was something I read once,” he murmured, almost to himself, his eyes having a slight daze to it. “Centuries ago, humans were considered rare and incredibly valuable in the Netherworld… hunted, even. I never truly questioned the reason why. But maybe… this is it.”

He glanced down at Iruma, his expression back to its usual unreadable state. But Iruma could feel the worry behind his stoic facade. 

“The blood of a human,” he continued, “might have innate healing properties… perhaps stronger than even the highest-grade potions.”

Iruma blinked at the confusing terms spouted. Although he did understand the gist of what Cale was telling him.

“Wow… Maybe humans really are more valuable here than I thought. Maybe Grandpa was right about that.”

He then gave a small and shaky laugh, as if trying to lighten the weight of what they’d just learned.

Cale, however, wasn’t laughing.

He was quiet, his eyes lingering on Iruma's hand where the cut had been, it was red, and still still fresh.

It was then that the demon bird finally shifted in its position, causing the both of them to tense again.

But it didn’t attack.

Instead, it stepped forward slowly with its eyes now soft and clearly intelligent.

Under Cale’s wary gaze, the creature lowered its massive head and gently nuzzled them both in a show of gratitude.

Iruma giggled, the sound bright and warm in the cool wind. He reached up and patted its enormous beak, fingers brushing the velvety softness of its snowy feathers.

Cale remained stiff at first, but eventually let out a long sigh as the tension bled from his shoulders.

For a moment, this silent peace reigned over the three, regardless of race.

Cale sighed quietly in relief, glad he was finally able to relax his guard a bit. He had too much excited in the past few hours, a little too much to his liking.

However.

Unfortunately for him, it didn't last ling the moment Iruma tilted his head up toward the sky his expression thoughtful.

Then, as if struck by sudden inspiration, he looked at the demon bird again.

Cale noticed the spark in his eyes and immediately narrowed his own in suspicion.

And Iruma merely smiled in response.

It was a mischievous little grin that made Cale’s stomach drop at the familiarity.

“Hey… you’re very welcome!” Iruma said a little too cheerfully to the bird.

“But, uh… say, could you maybe give me and Cale-nii a ride? We can’t stay here forever, you see. We have this superrr important test, and our professor is scary.”

Cale’s head immediately snapped toward him.

“Iruma, don’t you dare—”

However, he was far too late.

The demon bird gave a low and trilling chirp of agreement before gently seizing both of them by the scruff of their uniforms.

With a surprising amount of care for a creature so large, it lifted them and deposited them securely onto its feathered back.

Then, without further warning, it launched them all into the air.

“Wait, wait, I SAID WAIT—!!”

Cale’s voice cracked uncharacteristically as he gripped a fistful of feathers with his knuckles white with how much strength he was withholding to not hurt the bird.

He didn't want to be dropped at this height again, thank you very much.

The wind tore past them in powerful gusts as the bird soared high above the rocky valley with its wings slicing through the soft clouds.

“IRUMAAAAAA!!”

Meanwhile, the boy in question had his arms thrown joyfully into the air, his face glowing with delight.

He laughed, utterly exhilarated, as though he were riding the best roller coaster in the Netherworld. His blue hair whipped around him, and his eyes sparkling with reckless happiness.

“This is amazing, Cale-nii!!”

Cale, clinging for dear life but also don't want to anger or hurt the bird, did deign that an answer.

He was beginning to understand the true danger of having a little brother like Iruma.

And it wasn’t about the demon birds.

It was this.

Pure chaos wrapped in sunshine.

✧✧✧

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CHAPTER END